Method and means for diagnosing a human sepsis

A method of early detection and diagnosis of a human sepsis, comprising the following steps:

• a) providing a blood sample of a patient, wherein said blood sample is a whole blood sample, a platelet-rich plasma sample, a platelet suspension, or a platelet pellet,
• b) stimulating a platelet-specific (hem-)immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motif ((hem-)ITAM receptor by adding a (hem-)ITAM receptor agonistic agent to said sample, wherein said agonistic agent comprises collagen-related peptide cross-linked (CRP-XL) and/or convulxin,
• c) measuring a platelet function level,
• wherein said patient has an age of >1 year;
• wherein said platelet function level is characterized by at least one parameter selected from the group consisting of a surface presentation of P-selectin, an activated integrin αIIb/β3, a platelet aggregation, a mepacrine uptake/release, and a phosphorylation status of Syk, LAT, SHP-1, SHP-2, FcRγ, and PLCγ2 or a combination thereof;
• wherein the platelet function level measured is compared to a reference value and/or a reference sample of a healthy person not suffering from sepsis;
• and
• wherein said method further comprises a step of determining that a patient has the sepsis or is at risk of developing the sepsis, if the platelet function level in said patient is decreased compared to the reference value and/or the reference sample.