Method for the detection of sepsis by determining peptide prohormone levels

1. A method for the detection of sepsis in an individual suspected of having sepsis, comprising;

contacting a blood, plasma or serum sample from the individual with an antibody which binds to a human peptide prohormone, other than procalcitonin, and/or a partial peptide of said prohormone, and

determining the level of said human peptide prohormone and/or said partial peptide thereof, wherein an increase in said level compared to healthy individuals is indicative of sepsis,

wherein said partial peptide differs from the complete peptide sequence of said peptide prohormone by the absence of the first two amino acids at the amino terminus thereof or in the case of proendothelin consists of amino acids 18-50 of prepro-END.

2. The method of claim 1 for differential-diagnostic early detection of sepsis.

3. The method of claim 1 for assessment of the severity of sepsis or a sepsis-like systemic infection.

4. The method of claim 1 for assessment of the success of a therapeutic treatment of sepsis or a severe sepsis-like infection.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein a partial peptide of a human prohormone is detected which differs from the complete peptide sequence of the human prohormone by the absence of the first two amino acids at the amino terminus thereof.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said dipeptide is cleavable by dipeptidyl-aminopeptidase IV (DP IV; DAP IV or CD26).

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said antibody binds to an epitope in the peptide sequence of the prohormone which lacks its first two N-terminal amino acids.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising determination of at least one other indicator of sepsis.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein said at least one other indicator is procalcitonin.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein determination of the human prohormone and/or said partial peptide thereof is carried out as an immunoassay or a precipitation assay, and a diagnosis of the presence of sepsis or severe sepsis-like infections is made if the concentration of the human prohormone and/or said partial peptide determined is higher than the concentration observed in healthy persons.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein said prohormone is pro-END.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein said prohormone is pro-somatostatin.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein said prohormone is pro-GRP.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein said prohormone is pro-leptin.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein said prohormone is pro-neuropeptide Y.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein said prohormone is pro-neuropeptide YY.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein said prohormone is pro-opiomelanocortin.

18. A method for the detection of sepsis in an individual suspected of having sepsis, comprising;

contacting a blood, plasma or serum sample from the individual with an antibody which binds to a human peptide prohormone other than procalcitonin and/or a partial peptide thereof, and

determining the level of binding of said antibody, wherein an increase in said level compared to healthy individuals is indicative of sepsis,

wherein said partial peptide differs from the complete peptide sequence of said peptide prohormone by the absence of the first two amino acids at the amino terminus thereof or in the case of proendothelin consists of amino acids 18-50 of prepro-END.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein said prohormone is pro-END.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein said prohormone is pro-somatostatin.

21. The method of claim 18 , wherein said prohormone is pro-GRP.

22. The method of claim 18 , wherein said prohormone is pro-leptin.

23. The method of claim 18 , wherein said prohormone is pro-neuropeptide Y.

24. The method of claim 18 , wherein said prohormone is pro-neuropeptide YY.

25. The method of claim 18 , wherein said prohormone is pro-opiomelanocortin.