The maternal response to sepsis. Version 5
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A comparative, prospective, cross-sectional and longitudinal study of pregnant and non-pregnant women with sepsis: An analysis of the immune, genetic, metabolomics and cardiovascular response and a retrospective data analysis of the clinical outcomes of infection in the pregnant and non-pregnant patient
IRAS ID
209216
Contact name
Becky Ward
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Research Governance Officer
Duration of Study in the UK
3 years, 0 months, 0 days
Research summary
Title: The maternal response to sepsis
The maternal mortality report (MMBRACE, December 2015) demonstrated that sepsis (from both genital and non-genital causes combined) continues to be one of the leading causes of maternal mortality in the UK. Despite overall reductions in mortality, pregnant and post-natal women continue to have poorer outcomes and it is estimated that for every one woman who dies in the UK from sepsis, 50 women experience life-threatening illness.
We believe that pregnancy and the puerperium is a risk factor due to biological changes in the immune and cardiovascular systems. This project will investigate whether severe infection (sepsis) develops more rapidly in the pregnant woman than in the non-pregnant woman, and whether pregnant women with sepsis experience greater morbidity and mortality when compared to the non-pregnant woman with sepsis.
We aim to achieve this by comparing the immune and cardiovascular systems of pregnant and non-pregnant women in health and with infection by comparing changes in their heart rate, blood pressure, ability of the heart to pump blood around the body, by analysing venous blood samples for white cell function, markers of inflammation and gene expression.
We hypothesise that circulatory and immunological differences between that of the pregnant and the non-pregnant woman are exacerbated in sepsis and lead to worse outcomes in pregnancy. This study will help us to determine maternal clinical parameters and immunological biomarkers which can be used clinically as early diagnostic and prognostic tools for sepsis in pregnancy to improve the speed of recognition and treatment of these patients. The findings of this study may also form the basis of the preliminary work required to develop novel immunotherapies for the treatment or prevention of sepsis. Participants will be recruited over 3 years from 4 NHS sites.The study is funded by the medical research charity Borne, co-founded by Professor Mark Johnson.
REC name
East of England - Cambridge Central Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
18/EE/0198
Date of REC Opinion
21 Dec 2018
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion