• Warren L Lee and W Conrad Liles.
• Interdepartmental Division of Critical Care and Division of Respirology, Department of Medicine, St. Michael's Hospital, Canada.
• Curr. Opin. Hematol. 2011 May 1; 18 (3): 191-6.

Purpose Of ReviewOver the last few years, there have been major advances in our understanding of the role of the microvascular endothelium in the pathogenesis of severe, systemic infections.Recent FindingsEndothelial activation and dysfunction contribute directly to the morbidity and mortality of sepsis and other, severe systemic infections. The end-result of diffuse endothelial activation and dysfunction may be the loss of microvascular barrier integrity, leading to tissue edema, shock and multiple organ failure. Endothelial activation also leads to an increase in angiopoietin-2, which is known to destabilize barrier function and promote inflammation.SummaryThe ratio of the secreted endothelial growth factors, angiopoietin-2 and angiopoietin-1 appears to be a useful prognostic tool during severe infections. Finally, agents that enhance endothelial barrier integrity may prove useful as therapies for sepsis.

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