Sepsis phenotypes, subphenotypes, and endotypes: are they ready for bedside care?

Purpose of review: Sepsis remains a leading global cause of morbidity and mortality, and despite decades of research, no effective therapies have emerged. The lack of progress in sepsis outcomes is related in part to the significant heterogeneity of sepsis populations. This review seeks to highlight recent literature regarding sepsis phenotypes and the potential for further research and therapeutic intervention.

Recent findings: Numerous recent studies have elucidated various phenotypes, subphenotypes, and endotypes in sepsis. Clinical parameters including vital sign trajectories and microbial factors, biomarker investigation, and genomic, transcriptomic, proteomic, and metabolomic studies have illustrated numerous differences in sepsis populations with implications for prediction, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of sepsis.

Summary: Sepsis therapies including care bundles, fluid resuscitation, and source control procedures may be better guided by validated phenotypes than universal application. Novel biomarkers may improve upon the sensitivity and specificity of existing markers and identify complications and sequelae of sepsis. Multiomics have demonstrated significant differences in sepsis populations, most notably expanding our understanding of immunosuppressed sepsis phenotypes. Despite progress, these findings may be limited by modest reproducibility and logistical barriers to clinical implementation. Further studies may translate recent findings into bedside care.