Can Gene Scores Help Detect Sepsis? - Summary - MDSpire

Can Gene Scores Help Detect Sepsis?

Multicenter study assesses diagnostic accuracy of rapid transcriptomic testing

  • By

  • Jess Allerton

  • March 12, 2026

  • 2 min

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Objective:

To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of a rapid gene expression-based blood test for distinguishing sepsis from noninfectious critical illness in ICU patients.

Key Findings:
  • The assay achieved an AUC of 0.84 for differentiating sepsis from sterile inflammation.
  • Diagnostic performance was superior to CRP (0.75) and comparable to PCT (0.80).
  • In Band 4, the positive predictive value for sepsis was 92% with a sensitivity of 79%.
  • Patients with low initial likelihood of sepsis and scores in bands 1 or 2 had no final diagnosis of sepsis.
Interpretation:

The gene expression score provides a promising tool for early sepsis detection, outperforming traditional biomarkers.

Limitations:
  • Study limited to adult ICU patients.
  • Lack of data on prior antibiotic exposure.
  • Dependence on clinical adjudication without a definitive gold standard.
Conclusion:

The gene expression score may enhance early sepsis detection in ICU settings, warranting further validation.

Original Source(s)

Can Gene Scores Help Detect Sepsis?

  • by Jess Allerton

  • March 12, 2026

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