In an effort to combat the life-threatening condition of sepsis, Carle Foundation Hospital has played a huge role in the research and development of a revolutionary new AI-powered diagnostic tool called Sepsis ImmunoScore.
This cutting-edge technology, recently approved for marketing by the FDA, offers a breakthrough in the early detection and treatment of sepsis.
Sepsis, a dysregulated immune response to infection, can rapidly escalate and cause severe organ damage if left undetected and untreated. The ImmunoScore tool aims to address this challenge by combining deep biological data from patient blood samples with comprehensive clinical information to identify patterns indicative of sepsis development.
“Carle is where it all started,” said Bobby Reddy Jr., co-founder of Prenosis, the Chicago-based company behind the tool.
According to the information provided on their website, the initial study at Carle involved,
“The use of blood samples and biophysical data from 2,000 patients. A physician would diagnose a possible infection based on how a patient presented and the doctor would order a diagnostic workup from a blood draw. The test is completed in 30 to 60 minutes. The Immunoscore tool uses lab-based biomarkers in the blood, real-time clinical data and AI to evaluate a patient’s likelihood of developing sepsis and stimulate earlier treatment…”
The genesis of the Sepsis ImmunoScore can be traced back nearly a decade, when Reddy, then an engineer at the University of Illinois, engaged in discussions with Carle staff and physicians about the urgent need for better sepsis detection methods. This cross-disciplinary dialogue between engineers and medical professionals laid the foundation for a novel, data-driven approach to tackling the challenge.
Over time, the project grew to involve a multidisciplinary team of physicians, research staff, and internal medicine residents at Carle, who contributed to patient recruitment, data collection, and interpretation of clinical data for training the AI tool.
Today, Carle’s partnership with Prenosis continues through an ongoing clinical study evaluating how physicians interact with the ImmunoScore tool, with the goal of improving its utility in busy clinical settings.
“I’m proud Carle played a founding role in the new Sepsis ImmunoScore tool. Early sepsis detection through advanced technologies like AI will enhance care and support our caregivers’ lifesaving work,” said Lakita Scott, Vice President of Quality at Carle Health.
Jennifer Eardley, PhD, Carle’s Vice President for Research, echoed this sentiment, stating, “Projects like this that have a direct impact on our patients is why Carle invests in research.”
