Diagnostic Assays and Methods of Treating Pneumonia, Sepsis and Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome

An in vitro method for assessing sepsis in a patient, the method comprising:

• (a) contacting at least a portion of a biological sample from the patient with at least one antibody having specific binding affinity to neutrophil-derived microparticles;
• (b) determining a level of neutrophil-derived microparticles based on the contacting in step (a);
• and
• (c) assessing as indicating sepsis in the patient if the determined level of neutrophil-derived microparticles is elevated relative to a cutoff value of the neutrophil-derived microparticles.

A method of managing treatment of a patient suspected of having sepsis, the method comprising:

• (a) assessing sepsis in the patient by calculating in an abdominal fluid sample from the patient a concentration of neutrophil-derived microparticles, wherein an elevated concentration of neutrophil-derived microparticles relative to a cutoff value is indicative of sepsis;
• (b) treating the patient for sepsis where sepsis is indicated, wherein the concentration measured in step (a) is designated as a baseline concentration;
• and
• (c) determining treatment response of the patient by measuring in an abdominal fluid sample from the patient a post-treatment concentration of neutrophil-derived microparticles, wherein a decreased post-treatment concentration compared to the baseline concentration is indicative of a successful treatment response.