Change in blood purification for sepsis

Abstract

The new definition of sepsis emphasizes the development of organ dysfunction. Hypercytokinemia plays an important role in the excessive inflammatory response; blood purification to modulate the response is conducted. The efficacy of blood purification using hemofilter membranes with high cytokines absorption capabilities has been reported. However, as pointed out in the various guidelines, there are still few studies with a high level of evidence. A recent study focusing on Interleukin-6 (IL-6), a pro-inflammatory cytokine, has clarified the association between hypercytokinemia and acute kidney injury as well as multiple organ dysfunction. Early blood purification may be effective in modulating the pathophysiology of sepsis to prevent organ dysfunction. Therefore, it is mandatory to measure useful biomarkers such as serum IL-6 and perform cytokine-based therapies, to generate high-quality evidence in this area.