Sepsis diagnosis and management: work in progress.

Severe sepsis is a common disease process in the critically ill and is associated with substantial morbidity and mortality. Continuing research has provided considerable insight into the pathophysiology of sepsis over recent years, enabling various aspects of the sepsis response to be targeted. Discoveries related to the link between coagulation and inflammation have been particularly exciting, leading to the development of recombinant activated protein C. This review will discuss current definitions of sepsis, describe new approaches to classification and diagnosis of patients with sepsis, present recommendations for management, and briefly highlight areas of ongoing and future research.