Sepsis is the host inflammatory response to severe, life-threatening infection with the presence of organ dysfunction, and is the most frequent cause of mortality in most intensive care units. Here, the authors argue that, following survival of the initial hyper-inflammatory response, the patient enters a protracted immunosuppressive phase and, therefore, that immunotherapies to treat prolonged sepsis must target the specific cellular dysfunctions associated with immunosuppression.
- Richard S. Hotchkiss
- Guillaume Monneret
- Didier Payen
