Introduction
Sepsis is life-threatening organ dysfunction due to a dysregulated host response to infection. In 2017, approximately 48·9 million incident cases of sepsis were recorded worldwide and 11·0 million sepsis-related deaths were reported, accounting for 19.7% of all global fatalities.1 Patients with sepsis frequently undergo treatment with broad-spectrum antibiotics, are subjected to invasive procedures, and receive immune-modulating therapies while in the intensive care unit (ICU), which may weaken their immune systems and elevate the risk of subsequent infections. In addition to extending ICU stays, these infections also lead to considerable financial burdens.2 Therefore, it is crucial to identify and stratify treatment for this patient group.
Emerging techniques such as flow cytometry can assess immune…