To the best of our knowledge this is the first study that examines patterns of multiple endothelium-related indices in patients with no criteria for sepsis at ICU entry, in an effort to predict sepsis
development. Our results indicate that high levels of soluble E-selectin and P-selectin upon ICU admission are higher in critically-ill patients who are going to develop sepsis compared to
the patients who will not.Since early widespread endothelial dysfunction and/or damage
appear to be directly involved in sepsis, there is a strong biological rationale for targeting markers of endothelial activation and dysfunction as biomarkers of the septic syndrome. Hence, we
hypothesized that levels of endothelial biomarkers at ICU entry may predict subsequent sepsis development