Sepsis Is Far More Complicated Than Simply Blood Poisoning

July 18th, 2010

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What Are The Effects Of Sepsis?

While the term ‘blood poisoning’ is a common layman’s alternative to Sepsis, according to a theory by the Mayo Clinic, Sepsis may not even be the result of the immune system reacting directly to a toxin or poison. Instead the toxins from the bacteria or fungus may alter receptors on different cells within the body. The subsequent result is that the immune system suddenly perceives threats in many of the body’s own cells causing a severe immune reaction.

Regardless of whether the body overreacts to the toxic products of infection directly or is coerced to attack its own cells, when Sepsis is severe, it can lead to Septic Shock where the flow of oxygen and blood to tissues is severely reduced. This restriction of nutrients and oxygen to the cells can quickly lead to cell death and on the large scale, failure of the organ to operate properly. But, this is not the only effect of Sepsis.

Sepsis can also lead to abnormal blood clotting within the tissues and organs. As a part of this clotting, the blood’s clotting cells, the platelets, accumulate in the tissue. According to research from the Children’s National Medical Center, One of the capabilities of the platelets besides stopping blood flow is the ability to excrete cell-killing proteins. When the proteins are released by the platelets within the organs, this also causes cells within the organs to die.

Together, these cellular killing sprees by the immune system can lead to severe problems in the operation of the internal organs. In fact, in most cases, it is not the underlying infection that causes patient death, but instead organ failure that results from the immune system response by the body itself. For those who develop Septic Shock, the risks of death are 40 to 50% depending on the source of the statistics.

For those who do survive severe Sepsis, a complete recovery is often not possible because of the damage experienced by the organs. The brain, heart, liver, lungs and kidneys can all be seriously damaged as a result of the condition.

As an example, based on Australian research involving more than 33,000 people who were diagnosed with Sepsis when admitted to an ICU, approximately 42% of these individuals also experienced rapid damage to their kidneys. In many cases, much of the damage to the kidneys was permanent.

Similarly, those who suffer from severe Sepsis suffer from reduced lung function caused by the Sepsis incident, but are also at increased risk of progressive lung failure following recovery. Based on research from the University of Freiburg and the University of Michigan, Sepsis primes the immune system in the lungs to be at a heightened level of sensitivity. The result is ongoing inflammation in the lungs that causes tissue damage as in the case of COPD.

Conclusions

Long identified by the name blood poisoning, Sepsis is a condition far more complicated than simply being poisoned. The condition involves a completely exaggerated response by the immune system that turns what might be a mild infection into a life-threatening condition. As a significant problem for patients in our hospitals, the knowledge gained in understanding Sepsis is critically important in preserving the lives of vulnerable members of our society ranging from the very, very young to the venerable.