Sepsis is the main cause of death in children globally and can have a variety of signs and symptoms, which means that a single treatment approach is not effective. Researchers are looking into precision medicine for pediatric sepsis, using artificial intelligence to analyze a large amount of clinical data and identify a specific group of patients who may benefit from targeted treatments.Researchers in the field of precision medicine for pediatric sepsis have utilized artificial intelligence to examine a large dataset of clinical information. This analysis led to the identification of a specific group of patients who may benefit from targeted treatments.
This group of children exhibit clinical characteristics known as PHES, which stands for persistent hypoxemia (abnormally low oxygen levels in the blood), encephalopathy (brain function disturbance), and shock. This particular pattern is highly lethal within sepsis presentations. A recent study has confirmed this pattern and has found that PHES is associated with biomarkers that indicate excessive levels of inflammation and endothelial activity.
A study published in the journal Pediatric Critical Care Medicine found an association between PHES and a set of biomarkers in children with sepsis. Senior author L. Nelson Sanchez-Pinto, MD, suggested that targeted treatment, such as corticosteroids, could benefit this group of children. Sanchez-Pinto is a critical care physician and Research Scholar at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, as well as an Associate Professor at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.
sis care, doctors must make rapid decisions on treatment, and our research demonstrates that they can use a specific pattern in routinely collected clinical data to inform these decisions. We are now much closer to achieving precision medicine for sepsis.”
Dr. Sanchez-Pinto states that clinical trials are still necessary to evaluate different targeted treatments for children with PHES. He anticipates that in the next five years, there will be enough research data to bring about changes in clinical practice and make it more uniform.
“Our findings also pave the way for more focused research on sepsis treatments,” he said. “Studies may reveal that a treatment is ineffective f”The same treatment that has shown to be life-saving for adults with sepsis could potentially have the same life-saving effects for children with PHES,” said Dr. Smith. “This research has the potential to significantly improve outcomes for this distinct group of patients.”
Research at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago is conducted through Stanley Manne Children’s Research Institute, with a focus on improving child health, transforming pediatric medicine, and ensuring healthier futures through the pursuit of knowledge. Lurie Children’s is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing exceptional care for every child and is recognized as one of the nation’s top children’s hospitals by U.S. News & World.Report: Lurie Children’s serves as the pediatric training hub for Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.
