Advanced detection of sepsis

1. A method for the advanced detection of sepsis in a SIRS-positive subject, comprising the steps of:

(a) measuring at a plurality of time points, prior to laboratory confirmation of a clinically significant infection causative of sepsis, an amount of lysophosphatidylcholine in fluid or tissue of the SIRS-positive subject;

(b) measuring at a plurality of time points, prior to laboratory confirmation of a clinically significant infection causative of sepsis, two or more clinical markers of the SIRS-positive subject selected from the group consisting of respiratory rate, temperature, heart rate, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, mean artery pressure, white blood cell count, monocyte count, lymphocyte count, granulocyte count, neutrophil count, immature neutrophil to total neutrophil ratio, platelet count, serum creatinine concentration, urea concentration, lactate concentration, glucose concentration, base excess, pO 2 and HCO 3 − concentration; provided respiratory rate and temperature are measured; and

(c) measuring at a plurality of time points, prior to laboratory confirmation of a clinically significant infection causative of sepsis, an amount of one or more biomarkers in fluid or tissue of the SIRS-positive subject selected from the group consisting of ACTH, activated partial thromboplastin, albumin, antithrombin III, bacterial DNA, carcinoembryonic antigen-related cell adhesion molecule 1 (CEACAM1), cell surface proteins CD-14 and CD-64, copeptin, C-reactive protein, cortisol, D-dimer, E-selectin, extra-hepatic arginase (ARG2), endotoxin, fibrin degrading products, high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), HLA-DRA, interleukins IL-6, IL-8 and IL-10, LBP LPS-binding protein, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1, procalcitonin, protein C, protein S, prothrombin, soluble thrombomodulin, surface-bound tumor necrosis factor receptor I (sTNF-RI), surface-bound tumor necrosis factor receptor II (sTNF-RII), thrombin activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor, TRAF-interacting protein with a forkhead-associated domain (TIFA), triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 1, and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα);

wherein (i) a decrease in the amount lysophosphatidylcholine measured over time, such that a second amount is less than 75% of a previous amount over a 24 hour interval; (ii) a body temperature greater than 38° C. or less than 36° C.; (iii) a respiratory rate greater than 20 breaths per minute; and (iv) a difference in the amount of one or more biomarkers from a previous amount over a 24 hour interval,

detect sepsis in the subject.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said lysophosphatidylcholine comprises 1-O-palmitoyl-2-lyso-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine and 1-O-stearoyl-2-lyso-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said advanced detection is at least 12 hours prior to the laboratory confirmation of a clinically significant infection causative of sepsis.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein free lysophosphatidylcholine is measured.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein bound lysophosphatidylcholine is measured.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein total lysophosphotatidylcholine is measured.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more biomarkers comprise procalcitonin.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the amount is measured by spectrometry, chromatography, immunoassay, electrophoresis or enzymatic assay.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fluid or tissue is blood, plasma, saliva, serum, sputum, urine, cells, cellular extract or tissue biopsy.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein lysophosphatidylcholine, temperature, respiratory rate, procalcitonin, C-reactive protein, and Interleukin IL-6 are measured at a plurality of time points.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein lysophosphatidylcholine, temperature, respiratory rate, and HLA-DR are measured at a plurality of time points.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein lysophosphatidylcholine, temperature, respiratory rate, ARG2, CEACAM1, HLA-DRA and TIFA are measured at a plurality of time points.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the measurements of lysophosphatidylcholine, two or more clinical markers, and one or more biomarker are made every 2 hours, 3 hours, 4 hours, 6 hours, 8 hours, 12 hours, or 24 hours prior to laboratory confirmation of a clinically significant infection causative of sepsis.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the measurements of lysophosphatidylcholine, two or more clinical markers, and one or more biomarker are made every 1 to 3 hours, 3 to 8 hours, 8 to 12 hours, 12 to 16 hours, or 16 to 24 hours after the SIRS-positive subject arrives in an intensive care unit.