Open AccessThe role of platelets in sepsis
Author(s) -
Shan Oonagh
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
research and practice in thrombosis and haemostasis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2475-0379
DOI - 10.1002/rth2.12465
Subject(s) - sepsis , platelet , organ dysfunction , medicine , immunology , incidence (geometry) , inflammation , coagulation , immune system , immune thrombocytopenia , intensive care medicine , physics , optics
A State of the Art lecture titled “The role of platelets in sepsis” was presented at the ISTH congress in 2020. Sepsis is a life‐threatening organ dysfunction caused by a dysregulated and multifaceted host response to infection. Platelets play a significant role in the coordinated immune response to infection and therefore in the inflammation and coagulation dysfunction that contributes to organ damage in sepsis. Thrombocytopenia has a high incidence in sepsis, and it is a marker of poor prognosis. The genesis of thrombocytopenia is likely multifactorial, and unraveling the involved molecular mechanisms will allow development of biomarkers of platelet function in sepsis. Such platelet biomarkers can facilitate study of antiplatelet interventions as immunomodulatory treatment in sepsis. Finally, relevant new data on this topic presented during the 2020 ISTH virtual congress are reviewed.