- Sepsis kills around 48,000 people a year in the UK alone
- It occurs when an infection causes the immune system to attack the body itself
- The new test could provide a diagnosis in just 45 minutes
A blood test which can rapidly identify sepsis could provide a breakthrough against the ‘silent killer’.
The test could identify when someone’s immune system has gone into overdrive, providing a result in just 45 minutes.
Sepsis, often known as blood poisoning, kills about 48,000 people in the UK when an infection triggers the immune system to overreact and attack the organs.
More people die of sepsis annually than from breast, prostate and bowel cancer put together.
The new test is being trialled at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust in London.
The test could identify when someone’s immune system has gone into overdrive, providing a result in just 45 minutes (File photo)
The new test is being trialled at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust (pictured) in London
It focuses on the action of immune cells called neutrophils, which produce webs of genetic material to trap infections and stop them spreading.
When there are too many of these webs, this is a red flag that the immune system is attacking too violently and someone has sepsis.
Now scientists may be able to detect this early warning sign by measuring the level of proteins produced by the webs.
If the test is found to be effective, it could help identify patients with sepsis so they can be given antibiotics before they end up with organ failure.
‘Detecting sepsis early is critical to saving lives,’ said Dr Andrew Retter, critical care consultant at Guy’s and St Thomas’, who is leading the study.
‘Sepsis is the number one cause of death in hospitals and mortality increases as much as eight per cent for every hour that treatment is delayed.
‘Being able to spot those patients most at risk using a simple blood test would be a paradigm shift in the field, and could save thousands of lives every year.’
The year-long study, launched last month with funding from Volition Diagnostics UK, will test the protein levels of 500 patients with sepsis or septic shock in intensive care at St Thomas’ Hospital.
Doctors seeing patients with infections typically use a range of blood tests. But the new one is more precise and promising as it potentially detects signs of sepsis earlier, allowing faster treatment.
Experts say doctors would need to use it if it became available. The reason why many cases of sepsis are missed is that medics do not pick up warning signs so do not realise a test is needed.
Dr Ron Daniels, chief executive of the UK Sepsis Trust, said: ‘Any test which can help us to identify which patients are at increased risk can ensure we treat patients with the most urgent need first.
‘If this research demonstrates these proteins fulfil their promise as a risk stratification tool, then lives will undoubtedly be saved.’
If successful in a wider trial, the test could be used to screen patients at a GP surgery, when they go to A&E or if their condition deteriorates in hospital.
The Mail’s End the Sepsis Scandal campaign has helped to raise awareness of symptoms among patients and staff. It led to the publication of NHS quality standards for diagnosis and care.
Melissa Mead, whose son William, one, died from sepsis in 2014 after concerns were dismissed by doctors, said: ‘If he had had this test, it would have rung immediate alarm bells and he would probably be alive now.
‘However, we have to remember that to use a test as part of our decision toolkit, we first have to “suspect sepsis”.’
