Severe Trauma Complications Prediction by Biomarkers

Trauma and its severe complications are major health problems and leading causes of mortality and morbidity among young people in the world. The increasing ability to keep most trauma patients alive has resulted in an increased incidence of complications in this population. The pathophysiology of trauma complications is tremendously complex. Biomarkers have traditionally been considered as important area of medical research: the measurement of certain biomarkers has led to a better understanding of pathophysiology, while others have been used either to assess the effectiveness of specific treatments or for prognostic purposes. If with early diagnosis and early intervention, trauma complications can be prevented and cured. The aim of the review is to discuss new biomarkers which can be used in the prediction of severe trauma complications, mainly sepsis and Multiple Organ Dysfunction Syndrome (MODS). We also discuss to which degree currently available trauma complications biomarkers may help to overcome the present diagnostic uncertainty. We address how new insights into the pathogenesis of trauma complications may help in the development of specific biomarkers and how this may also impact the identification and development of new therapeutic targets. Research into biomarkers may help to predict the prognosis of patients with severe trauma.