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Immunoglobulins in Sepsis: Which Patients will Benefit the Most?

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Annual Update in Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine 2013

Part of the book series: Annual Update in Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine ((AUICEM))

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Abstract

After decades of research, septic shock and related multiple organ dysfunction still remain the leading causes of mortality on our intensive care units (ICUs) worldwide [1]. Although in a recent large multicenter clinical trial the mortality was only 24.2 % [2], data from large international registries reveal a figure of around 50 % [1]. Searching for further treatment modalities for patients suffering from septic shock is, therefore, warranted. In addition to early stabilization of vital functions and antibiotic treatment, modulation of the immune system and the host response may be an important therapeutic approach. It has been shown that serum immunoglobulin concentrations are low during severe infection [3], and patients in septic shock with low IgG and IgM levels have higher mortality rates compared to those with normal immunoglobulin levels [4].

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Acknowledgement:

The authors would like to thank Professor Giorgio Berlot, PD Dr. Henning Ebelt and Professor Massimo Girardis for sharing their results and experience with us, without which this article could not have been completed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, University of Szeged, 6. Semmelweis St, 6725, Szeged, Hungary

    Z. Molnár

  2. Department of Critical Care, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistr. 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany

    A. Nierhaus

  3. Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, Medical Faculty of Istanbul, University of Istanbul, Capa Klinikleri, 34093, Istanbul, Turkey

    F. Esen

Authors
  1. Z. Molnár
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  2. A. Nierhaus
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  3. F. Esen
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to F. Esen .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Erasme Hospital, Université libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium

    Jean-Louis Vincent Prof.

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Molnár, Z., Nierhaus, A., Esen, F. (2013). Immunoglobulins in Sepsis: Which Patients will Benefit the Most?. In: Vincent, JL. (eds) Annual Update in Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine 2013. Annual Update in Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-35109-9_12

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-35109-9_12

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-35108-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-35109-9

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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