Immune Modulation in Critically Ill Septic Patients

Sepsis is triggered by infection-induced immune alteration and may be theoretically improved by pharmacological and extracorporeal immune modulating therapies. Pharmacological immune modulation may have long lasting clinical effects, that may even worsen patient-related outcomes. On the other hand, extracorporeal immune modulation allows short-term removal of inflammatory mediators from the bloodstream. Although such therapies have been widely used in clinical practice, the role of immune modulation in critically ill septic patients remains unclear and little evidence supports the role of immune modulation in this clinical context. Accordingly, further research should be carried out by an evidence-based and personalized approach in order to improve the management of critically ill septic patients.

Automated summary

Sepsis is a condition triggered by infection-induced immune alterations and can theoretically be improved through pharmacological or extracorporeal immune modulation therapies. While pharmacological immune modulation may have long-lasting effects, extracorporeal immune modulation allows for short-term removal of inflammatory mediators from the bloodstream. Despite the widespread use of these therapies in clinical practice, their specific role in critically ill septic patients remains unclear.