Sepsis and Bacteremia Flashcards
Why have incidences of sepsis and septic shock continued to increase
Increased use of invasive devices, cytotxic and immunosuppressive drugs for cancer and transplants, increased lifespan of cancer and diabetes patients, and increased infections with antibiotic resistant bacteria
Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome or SIRS
Temperature above 38 or below 36, HR above 90bpm, respiratory rate above 20, WBC count above 12000 or below 4000 OR 10% immature forms, requires 2 or more of those symptoms
Sepsis
SIRS plus blood infection with any microorganism, it is often assumed and treated as such if patient shows symptoms with no other clear or likely diagnosis
Septic shock
Sepsis plus organ dysfuntion, hypotension, or hypoperfusion
What is the mortality rate once septic shock progresses to multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS)
90%
Is microbial blood stream invasion required to produce sepsis
No, microbe invasion is usually involved but systemic spread of signal molecules and toxins can elicit the same response
What are the most common microbes involved in sepsis and septic shock
Fungi and bacteria, mostly gram negatives
What factors predispose people to bacteremia, especially with gram negative rods
Diabetes, lymphoproliferative diseases, cirrosis, burns, invasive procedures or devices, renal insufficiency, alcoholism, and drugs that cause neutropenia
What types of infections are more likely to lead to sepsis
Any infection can progress to sepsis BUT pylelonephritis, pneumonia, peritonitis, cholangitis, cellulitis, meningitis, or abscesses are more likely causes (many nosocomial)
Are you more likely to find the original site of infection in an immunocometant or immunocomprmised patient
Competent, immunocompromised patients, esp neutropenic, often have clinically unapparent infections in skin or bowel
What is the most potent gram negative bacterial antigen
Lipopolysaccharide
What is correlated with detectable plasma levels of bacterial endotoxin
Positive blood cultures, decreased systemic resistance, depressed ventricular ejection fraction, and lactic academia
What do endotoxins activate/release
They activate complement and release anaphylotoxins C5a and C3a that cause vasodilation/platelet aggregation and they activate factor XII which releases bradykinin that causes vasodilation and coagulation and can lead to consumption of coagulation factors and DIC
Examples of bacterial antigens that illicit inflammatory response
Polysaccharides, extracellular enzymes, peptidoglycan, lipoteichoic acid, and other toxins
Components of the innate immune system
Neutrophils, macrophages, complement, and cytokines
