The Particulars: Septic shock can occur if sepsis is not diagnosed early in pediatric EDs. Using metabolomics, a novel technique that provides information about the metabolic state of organisms, may allow for an early diagnosis of sepsis in the ED.

Data Breakdown: For a study, pediatric patients with and without sepsis were screened by profiling changes of metabolite concentrations. A clear separation of metabolomic profiles was seen between patient groups and served as a good predictive model for diagnosing sepsis. Metabolites represented a pattern of the early pediatric metabolic response to sepsis.

Take Home Pearls: Metabolite profiling appears to be a promising approach for predicting sepsis in a pediatric ED population. Metabolites may serve as biomarkers for early diagnosis and could potentially allow for earlier treatment and triage, particularly in EDs with little experience evaluating children.

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