Course Outline
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- Development and Progression of Sepsis
- Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (SIRS) and Sepsis
- Severe Sepsis
- Additional Testing for Diagnosis of Sepsis/Severe Sepsis
- Septic Shock
- Sepsis and Bacterial Toxins
- Which of the following are indicators of sepsis?
- Laboratory Tests Used in the Detection of Sepsis
- Biomarkers
- C-Reactive Protein (CRP)
- Procalcitonin (PCT)
- Procalcitonin (PCT) as a Sepsis Biomarker
- Lactic Acid (Lactate)
- Lactic Acid (Lactate), continued
- Which of the following statements regarding a biomarker with high sensitivity is true?
- C-reactive protein (CRP) is more useful for monitoring response to antibiotics and predicting prognosis than for actual diagnosis of sepsis.
- Blood lactic acid concentration is an indicator of impaired circulation and tissue oxygenation in critically ill patients. If circulation and tissue o...
- Mechanisms of C-Reactive Protein, Procalcitonin, and Lactic Acid
- Future Perspectives
- References
Additional Information
Level of instruction: Intermediate
Target audience: Medical laboratory scientists, medical laboratory technicians, and MLS students. This course may also be of interest to other health care professionals who are involved in diagnosis and treatment of sepsis.
Author information: Lynne Brodeur, MA, MLS(ASCP)CM holds a master of arts degree in teaching. She is currently a full time lecturer at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth and works per diem in Clinical Chemistry at St. Luke's Hospital in New Bedford, MA.
Reviewer information: DeRhonda Crawford, MT(ASCP) is the chemistry supervisor at Gwinnett Medical Center in Lawrenceville, Georgia and the technical supervisor for the Gwinnett Medical Center in Duluth, Georgia. She holds a BS in Medical Technology from the Medical College of Georgia.
Content information: This course discusses sepsis and the laboratory tests that are used to detect and intervene in its progression to severe sepsis and septic shock. The usefulness and limitations of C-reactive protein, procalcitonin, and lactic acid concentration are covered in the course. Novel biomarkers that may prove useful as methods for early detection of severe sepsis in the near future are also discussed.