Plug-in paper biosensors for the rapid detection of multiple sepsis biomarkers in blood at the emergency department.

BACKGROUND

Sepsis can rapidly progress to life-threatening septic shock if specialized care is not provided promptly. In many cases, the first healthcare contact is a triage nurse, who assesses the urgency of medical evaluation. However, current triage protocols lack tools for accurate sepsis identification, potentially delaying critical interventions.

RESULTS

We present Plug-In biosensors capable of simultaneous detecting two key sepsis biomarkers, procalcitonin (PCT) and interleukin-6 (IL-6), directly from blood samples. The biosensor integrates a cap that connects to a sample pad, enabling rapid, user-friendly operation suitable for point-of-care use in the Emergency Department. The sensors achieved limits of detection below clinical cut-offs to identify sepsis (0.2 ng mL-1 for PCT and 0.1 pg mL-1 for IL-6 in blood diluted 1:100). When applied to patients classified within triage levels 2 and 3 in an Emergency Department cohort, the biosensors demonstrated high diagnostic accuracy, achieving an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.98. Notably, the biosensors successfully identified septic patients who experienced delays in consultation after triage.

SIGNIFICANCE: Plug-In biosensors provide a rapid and accessible diagnostic platform for early sepsis detection at the point of triage. Their implementation could enable earlier activation of Code Sepsis, ensuring timely care for patients requiring urgent treatment.