Biomarkers to predict sepsis v1
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Host and bacterial biomarkers to predict sepsis
IRAS ID
262334
Contact name
Thomas Wilkinson
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Swansea University
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 11 months, 31 days
Research summary
Bacterial sepsis (blood poisoning) is a huge concern to local Heath Boards in South West Wales and the UK. Conservative estimates in Wales alone have suggested the equivalent of 1800 deaths at a cost of £125 million annually. Increased levels of bacteria (e.g Escherichia coli) in the blood are often caused by ‘leaky’ barriers in the intestines, bladder and lungs, together with an inherent ability of the bacteria to cross from local tissues to the blood. To address this problem, our laboratory has been working with the Hywel Dda University Health Board. To date we have established a collection of important E. coli bacteria (n=101) that have been isolated by blood culture from patients with sepsis and are investigating the differences between these isolates, both in their inherent genetic content and how they generate immune responses in laboratory models of sepsis. Next we would like to analyse the patient records associated with the bacterial isolates to investigate ‘risk factors’ for the development of sepsis and link bacterial properties with patient parameters. We will do this in two phases where phase 1 will investigate patient data associated with our current collection of 101 E. coli isolates and phase two will investigate patient data associated with 200 new isolates to be collected in the future.
Our over-arching hypothesis states that E. coli isolates most likely to cause sepsis can be predicted (and therefore treated) before blood poisoning. This project will identify important new early bacterial markers, immune responses and patient risk factors that will better predict bacterial sepsis.
Our consortium of experts includes academics from Swansea University Medical School (SUMS), clinical academics and microbiologists, research and development teams from the Hywel Dda University Health Board, and a Welsh government-funded genomic centre and access to core facilities for sensitive recording of cellular responses.REC name
Wales REC 7
REC reference
20/WA/0127
Date of REC Opinion
7 May 2020
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion