Possible roles for anti- or pro-inflammatory therapies in the management of sepsis.
In the past few years we have greatly improved our understanding of the pathophysiologic mechanisms underlying the clinical syndrome of sepsis. As of this writing, however, this improved understanding has failed to result in the development of a single pharmacologic agent with clearly documented efficacy for improving outcome in septic patients. Research in this field, however, is yielding new insights on almost a daily basis, and it seems probable that the pharmacotherapy of sepsis and septic shock will undergo dramatic changes in the near future.
Silver
G M
GM
Department of Surgery, Beth Israel Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.
Fink
M P
MP
D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000628:therapy; D016207:Cytokines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000276:immunology; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D016207:Cytokines; D007375:Interleukin-1; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor