Advances in Research Pertaining to Biomarkers for Myocardial Injury in Sepsis.

Abstract: Sepsis is a life-threatening syndrome characterized by acute organ dysfunction caused by a dysregulated host response to infection, often complicated by multi-organ injury. Myocardial injury occurs in approximately 40% of patients with sepsis, and failure to promptly recognize and manage this condition may result in missed treatment windows, disease exacerbation, and increased mortality. Sepsis-induced myocardial injury is reversible, and early diagnosis coupled with timely intervention can significantly reduce mortality. However, due to the unclear underlying pathophysiology and the absence of a definitive gold standard for diagnosis, conventional biomarkers of myocardial injury offer limited diagnostic utility. Emerging biomarkers such as high-mobility group box 1 protein (HMGB1), microRNAs, and growth differentiation factor-15 (GDF15) are currently being explored to understand their potential role in early detection and prognostic assessment. In this review, recent research advances in both traditional and novel biomarkers associated with sepsis-induced cardiomyopathy have been summarized, providing insights into their clinical applications and future research directions.