Sepsis
Conditions
Brief summary
Sepsis is one of the leading causes of hospital mortality, with a rate of approximately 20% (World Health Organization) among vulnerable patients admitted to high-intensity care units such as CCUs and inpatient wards. Currently, diagnostic criteria such as the Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (SIRS) and the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score, although widely used, lack sufficient specificity and accuracy. No established parameters are available for early and timely diagnosis. This study aims to address this gap by investigating the variability of blood plasma conductivity and dielectric constant using microwave probes previously validated for non-invasive glucose monitoring. The acquired data will be analyzed using the Anritsu VectorStar VNA to identify innovative and reliable parameters associated with the presence of severe infections.
Interventions
DIAGNOSTIC_TESTconductivity and dieletric constant
collecting blood samples and directly measuring plasma conductivity and dielectric constant using microwave probes already validated for non-invasive glucose monitoring.
Sponsors
University of Calabria
Study design
Observational model
CASE_CONTROL
Time perspective
PROSPECTIVE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* Age ≥ 18 years * Cardiology patients without documented infection (Control Group) * Patients with sepsis * Patients with nosocomial infection * Patients with myocarditis, endocarditis, or pericarditis * Ability to provide written informed consent
Exclusion criteria
* Patients with severe or chronic medical conditions that may interfere with study results, such as autoimmune diseases, renal or hepatic failure * Patients taking medications that could affect the measured biophysical parameters, such as corticosteroids or immunosuppressants * Patients with cancer * Patients with diseases involving the immune system (e.g., lymphomas, leukemias) * Patients with congenital or acquired immunodeficiencies (e.g., HIV) * Patients who are unable to read and sign the informed consent form
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Comparative Analysis of Plasma Bioelectrical Properties in Sepsis | through study completion, an average of 10 days | differences in blood plasma conductivity and dielectric constant will be analyzed between patients with and without sepsis, using validated microwave probes and appropriate statistical methods. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Correlation Between Biophysical Parameters and Conventional Infection and Inflammation Biomarkers | through study completion, an average of 3 months | correlations will be assessed between measured biophysical parameters and conventional infection/inflammation biomarkers (e.g., ESR, procalcitonin, CRP, and white blood cell count) in patients with suspected or confirmed infection. |
Countries
Italy
Contacts
Primary ContactAntonio Curcio, Medicine
Outcome results
None listed