Sparing brain damage in severe sepsis: a beginning.
Sepsis-associated encephalopathy (SAE) resembles metabolic encephalopathies but with a difference: there is the potential for enduring brain damage/dysfunction. The pathogenesis of SAE is likely multifactorial. However, the severity of SAE parallels the severity of the septic illness and the brain's microcirculation is probably affected in a similar manner to that of other organs. Mild cases of SAE are often completely reversible, but there is increasing evidence that severe cases have neurological sequelae. A better understanding of the mechanisms may lead to brain-sparing, protective strategies.
Young
G Bryan
GB
Departments of Clinical Neurological Sciences and Medicine, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada. bryan.young@lhsc.on.ca
D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D018805:Sepsis / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index