Researchers Develop Early Detection Tool for Life-Threatning Sepsis

IT’S A COPYCAT KILLER –OFten Mimicking Less Severe Conditions and Delaying Much-Needed, Timely Treatments. But sepsis—an infection that can lead to multiple organre, Shock and Even Death-the Global Global Health Challenge and is Associated with one in Five Deaths Workwide with the Burden Being Carred by Low-Resource and Vulnerable Populations.

Now the Potential Game-Changing Technology, Developed by Rasa Eskandari, an MD-PH.D. Student and Professor Mamadou Diop, Both in the department of medical biophysics at the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentutry, Could Turn the Tide On This Global Killer. Their other collaborators Included Medical Biophysics Professor Chris Ellis and Dan Goldman and Physiology and Pharmacology Professor Don Welsh.

Using Non-Invasive Optical Technologies to Detect the Early Onset of Sepsis in Rat Models, These Researchers Are Coming Closer to the Frucal Device Ideal For Hospitals and Clinics, and with Possible Applications for Wearable Technology In Remote Settings. The Device Measures How Blood is Flowing in Small Blood Vessels (Microcirculation) In Both the Brain and the Body. IT DOES THIS CONTINUUOUSLY, ALLOWING RESEARCHERS TO SEE CHANGES IN MICROCERCULATION OVER TIME, SPECIALLY DURING THE EARLY STAGES OF SPEPIS.

Eskandari Explained the Benefits of the Work, Recently published in The phaseb Journalin A Conversation with Schulich Communications.

Why is sepsis Such a Significant Challenge in Health Care Today, and What Are the Main Barriers to Detecting It Early?

Rasa Eskandari: Sepsis is a Major Global Health Challenge Due to its High Incidence and Mortality, as well as the complexities of Timely intervention. ITS NON-SPECIFIC EARLY SYMPTOMS, SUCH AS FEVER AND CONFUSION, OFTEN MIMIC LESS SEVERRE CONDITIONS, LEADING TO DELAYS IN DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT. Sepsis can Quickly Progress to Multiple Organ Failure and Shock; Importantly, the Risk of Dying from sepsis Increases by Up to Eight Percent Everyday Hour Treatment is Delayed. Compounding This ISSUE IS THE DISPROPORTIONATE IMPACT OF SEPSIS ON VULNERABLE POPULATIONS AND TOSE IN LOW-RESORCE SETTINGS WITH LIMITED ACESS TO TIMELY CARE. Addressing these Challenges Requires The Development of Accessible Technologies That Are Sensitive to the Early Onset of Sepsis.

What Sparked Your Interest In Sepsis Research?

I am particularly draw to sepsis research due to its devastating global impact. Our group develoops Bedside Optical Tools to Monitor Tissue Health and Blood Flow Continously During Critical Medical Conditions and Surgery. These Tools Work By Non-Invasivery Shining Light on Tissue and Monitoring It Absorption and Scattering to Estimate Concentrations of Proteins Involved in Oxygen Transport (IE Hemoglobin) and the Dynamics of Red Blood Cells.

Interestingly, the Potential Marker of Microvascular Dysfunction Was Recently Identified by Paulina Kowalewska, the Research at Robarts Research Institute and Collaborators at Western, Using Microscopic Techniques.

We Believed this Approach Could Be Replicted Using Our Non-Invasive Tools. This inspired us to apply our technology to address the global health burden of sepsis through early, rapid diagnosis.

Your Research Uses Non-Invasive Imaging Methods to Monitor Skeletal Muscle Blood Flow. What inspired you to exploit this approach, and what are the benefits compared to existing detection methods?

The Skeletal Muscle Plays A Central Role in Blood Pressure Regulation, Which is Often Impaired During Sepsis, and Serves As An Accessible Window into the Body’s Peripheral Microcirculation. In sepsis, Microvascular Dysfunction Leads to Compromise Perfusion or Passage Of Fluid Through The Circulatory System, Resulting In Tissue Damage. Skeletal Muscle Microcirculation is Likely to Be Sacrificed Early in the Body’s Attempt To Prioritize Vital Organs Such As the Brain.

By Examining The Skeletal Muscle Microvasculature, We Aim to Detect Early Signs of Sepsis Prior to Tissue and Organ Injury. UNLIKE TRADITIONAL METHODS TO ASSESS MICROVASCULAR FUNCTION AND PERFUSION, SUCH AS CAPILLARY REFILL TIME AND BLACOT LACTATE, OUR TECHNOLOGY CAN PASSIVELY PROVIDE CONTINUOUS ASSESSMENT OF MICROVASCULAR HEALTH. This significant Advantage May Allow Our technology to be applied as wearable device to continuously monitor for signs of sepsis evenid of a clinical setting.

Can You Explain The Key Findings of Your Study?

This Study Demonstrates The Feasability of Using Nan-Invasive, Point-Of-Care Optical Spectroscopy for Detecting The Onset of Sepsis-Relavated Microvascular Dysfunction Before Clinical Manifestations of the Condition. This Study Further Demstates That Skeletal Muscle Microvascular Dysfunction Precides Significant Impairment in Brain Microcirculation, Likely Reflecting The Body’s Attempt To Protect Vital Organs.

Why are these findings Important, particularly for vulnerable populations and low-resource settings, and how coald this technology improve sepsis outcomes globally?

These Findings are crucial gut they offshole and accessible approach for detecting sepsis at its earliest stages. Early Detection of Skeletal Muscle Microvascular Dysfunction, Which Preced Tissue Damage, Could Allow for Timely Interventions to Prevent Progression to Organ Failure and Shock. The Non-Invasive, Continous and Relative Low-Cost Nature of This Optical Technology Makes It Ideal for Deployment in Both Hospital hospitals and clinics. IT Will Also Benefit Patients In Remote Settings As Wearable Devices Targeted Towards Individuals at Higher Risk of Sepsis. By Enabling Real-Time Monitoring of Microvascular Function, this technology has the potential to significantly improve sepsis Outcomes globally through earlier diagnosis.

How soon might this technique be available for use in intensive care units or other clinical settings?

There are currently Commercial Optical Spectrometers Available in Some Hospitals, Particularly Being Used for Neuromonitoring During Surgery. However, Sepsis is a Highly Variable Disorder, and While Our Preculinical Findings Provide Promising Foundation, Further Clinical Studies Are Necessary to Evaluate Our Technique’s Effficacy forSpsis Detection and Monitoring In Humans.

OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS, WILL BE DRIVING CLINICAL STUDIES IN PEDIATRIC CRITICAL PAIENTS IN LONDON, ONT. These Efforts will be crucial in paving the way for the technology to be Adopted Intensive care units and the wearable technology outside of the hospital.

What AddiTeal Questions About Sepsis Detection are you hoping to ANSWER in future studies?

In future studies, we hope to exploit the potential of our technology to detect early signs of brain injury alongside microvascular dysfunction in sepsis. Since Brain Injury is a common and devastating complication of sepsis, Identifying Early Markers of Cerebral Perfusion and Oxygen Metabolism Could Provide Novel Insights that can guide intervention before irreversible damage occurs.