Clinically-oriented therapies in sepsis: a review

Our insight of the sepsis response has evolved to encompass not only the pr o-inflammatory but also an anti-inflammatory reaction following infection. Clinical trials have been designed to target either bacterial products, end otoxin in particular, or mediators involved in the sepsis response, but unt il recently the majority of them have given unfavorable results. In this ar ticle, we provide a scope of clinical trials that have been done in immunom odulation during sepsis whether or not they provide positive results. We wi ll also discuss some of the reasons why those studies have been disappointi ng. Current and future trials with a better assessment of inflammatory stat us of patients and better-defined outcomes such as organ dysfunction are no w underway.