Sepsis blood tests trialled for first time in UK could save ‘thousands of lives’ each year

A new blood test that could diagnose patients who are at risk of sepsis is being trialled for the first time at a South London hospital.

A year-long study, launched on November 27, will test 500 patients with sepsis or septic shock in the intensive care unit at St Thomas’ Hospital in Westminster Bridge Road, Lambeth.

Sepsis is a type of blood poisoning which is hard to identify, and there is currently no test to diagnose it. 

Without early treatment, it can lead to multiple organ failure and death. Every year in the UK there are 48,000 sepsis-related deaths, according to the UK Sepsis Trust. 

The test, which uses blood samples to identify high levels of DNA associated with sepsis, only takes 45 minutes and could save thousands of lives every year, doctors at St Thomas’ said.

A spokesman from the hospital said early results already suggested that the test could identify patients who may be at higher risk of developing sepsis and progressing to organ failure. 

If the trial is successful, the test will help doctors to identify the sickest patients more quickly, and respond faster to prevent a patient from getting more ill.

It could also be used to screen patients for sepsis when they present with symptoms in the emergency department.

Dr Andrew Retter, critical care consultant at Guy’s and St Thomas’, who is leading the study, said: “Detecting sepsis early is critical to saving lives. 

“Sepsis is the number one cause of death in hospitals and mortality increases as much as eight per cent for every hour that treatment is delayed.

“Being able to spot those patients most at risk of sepsis using a simple blood test would be a paradigm shift in the field and could save thousands of lives every year.”

Pictured top: Dr Andrew Retter, critical care consultant at Guy’s and St Thomas’, who is leading the study (Picture: Guys and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation)