Early detection of glycocalyx and microvascular damage in suspected sepsis in the emergency department: the EDGE study
Authors' conclusion
Quantitative sublingual videomicroscopy predicts early disease progression within the first week and stratifies patients with suspected sepsis into high and low-risk groups at ED presentation.
Study context
- Population
- Emergency department (ED) patients with suspected infection or sepsis
- Participants
- 299 / 50 / 14 / 34
- Exposure
- Microvascular variables in progressors vs non-progressors; ED patients vs healthy volunteers, non-infected ED and intensive care unit (ICU) sepsis controls
- EDn = 299
- Healthy volunteersn = 50reference
- Non-infected EDn = 14
- ICU sepsisn = 34
- Outcome
- Disease progression (infection to sepsis, or increase in SOFA score in septic patients)
- Follow-up
- First week
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Disease progression
MVHS discrimination for progression in infection without sepsis (AUC), outperforming procalcitonin and interleukin-6
0.79
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Secondary outcomes
Composite of disease progression or in-hospital mortality by microvascular phenotype
| OR | P value | |
|---|---|---|
| Intact microvascular phenotype (high capillary density and low PBR) | 0.17 | P < 0.001 |
| Combined glycocalyx damage and reduced capillary density | 2.39 | P = 0.01 |
Microvascular variables across ED patients, healthy volunteers and controls
- Significant differences in all microvascular variables, correlating with disease severity
Original publication
Early detection of glycocalyx and microvascular damage in suspected sepsis in the emergency department: the EDGE study. Crit Care. Published 17 April 2026. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →