67 results about "Severe sepsis" patented technology

The present invention relates to binding moieties that specifically bind to a conformational epitope of C5a, in particular human C5a. Preferred binding moieties are anti-C5a antibodies that bind to this conformational epitope. The binding moieties described herein are useful as active agents in pharmaceutical compositions for the treatment and prevention of various acute and chronic diseases, in particular acute inflammatory diseases, such as the systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), and different degrees of sepsis including sepsis, severe sepsis, and septic shock.

The early prediction or diagnosis of sepsis advantageously allows for clinical intervention before the disease rapidly progresses beyond initial stages to the more severe stages, such as severe sepsis or septic shock, which are associated with high mortality. Early prediction or diagnosis is accomplished using a molecular diagnostics approach, involving comparing an individual's profile of biomarker expression to profiles obtained from one or more control, or reference, populations, which may include a population that develops sepsis. Recognition of features in the individual's biomarker profile that are characteristic of the onset of sepsis allows a clinician to diagnose the onset of sepsis from a bodily fluid isolated at the individual at a single point in time. The necessity of monitoring the patient over a period of time is, therefore, avoided, advantageously allowing clinical intervention before the onset of serious symptoms of sepsis. Further, because the biomarker expression is assayed for its profile, identification of the particular biomarkers is unnecessary. The comparison of an individual's biomarker profile to biomarker profiles of appropriate reference populations likewise can be used to diagnose SIRS in the individual.

The present invention provides methods and kits to obtain an early evaluation of mortality risk and help therapeutic decisions for patients in severe sepsis with two organ failures, for example for patients in septic shock. The invention is based on the measure of the level of S100A8 / A9 complex in plasma, since a level of S100A8 / A9 above a predetermined threshold is indicative of a bad prognosis and a level of S100A8 / A9 below said predetermined threshold is indicative of a good prognosis.

The present invention provides a method of treatment or prevention of sepsis and other diseases characteristic to the Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (SIRS), including severe sepsis, septic shock, and sepsis related to cardiac dysfunction.