Sex-specific differences in cardiac function, inflammation and injury during early polymicrobial sepsis

Abstract

Take-home message Sex differences in sepsis are underexplored, even though female sex appears to be cardioprotective in early sepsis. In early normovolaemic polymicrobial sepsis, hyperdynamic response occurs in males, whereas myocardial stress/injury is limited in females, in part mediated by less cardiac infiltration of CD4 + leukocytes and independent of shedding of TNFα from peripheral circulating leukocytes.

Keywords

• Sepsis
• Gender
• Leukocyte
• Cardiac dysfunction