The Role of Inflammatory Markers in Sepsis

Abstract

Background: Sepsis is a life-threatening condition caused by a dysregulated response to infection that can lead to multiple organ dysfunction and death. Early diagnosis remains difficult because the clinical presentation is often nonspecific. Inflammatory biomarkers have become important tools for supporting diagnosis, assessing disease severity, and monitoring treatment response. Aim: To review the current evidence on inflammatory biomarkers used in sepsis, with emphasis on their pathophysiological basis and clinical applications. Subjects and Methods: A narrative review of the published literature was conducted to summarize the mechanisms of inflammatory marker release in sepsis and to evaluate the clinical value of commonly used and emerging biomarkers for diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment monitoring. Results: Conventional biomarkers, including C-reactive protein (CRP), procalcitonin (PCT), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), remain widely used in clinical practice. Emerging biomarkers such as presepsin, lactate, plasma renin, ICAM-1, VEGFR2, and urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) provide additional information regarding disease severity, septic shock, and patient outcomes. Current evidence suggests that combining biomarkers with clinical evaluation and severity scoring systems provides better diagnostic and prognostic performance than relying on a single marker. Conclusion: Inflammatory biomarkers support many aspects of sepsis management, including diagnosis, risk assessment, treatment monitoring, and antibiotic stewardship. Their interpretation should always be considered alongside clinical findings, microbiological results, and established scoring systems to improve patient assessment.