Using blood tests to identify bacteria in ICU patients with sepsis

Blood DdPCR for Early Identification and Dynamic Surveillance of Pathogenic Bacteria in ICU Septic Patients: a Single-centre, Prospective, Observational Study

Observational Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology · NCT06791889

This study is testing a new blood test to see if it can help doctors find harmful bacteria in ICU patients with sepsis so they can better track infections and improve patient care.

Quick facts

Study typeObservational
Enrollment60 (estimated)
Ages18 Years and up
SexAll
SponsorUnion Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology Academic / other
Locations1 site (Wuhan)
Trial IDNCT06791889 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This observational study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) for detecting pathogenic bacteria in patients diagnosed with sepsis in the ICU. Patients will be monitored for bacterial nucleic acid loads in their blood at various time points until they are either discharged or 28-30 days have passed. The study seeks to establish a correlation between the types and amounts of bacteria present and the patients' clinical outcomes. By doing so, it hopes to improve early identification and ongoing surveillance of infections in critically ill patients.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults admitted to the ICU with a first diagnosis of sepsis.

Not a fit: Patients under 18 years old or those who do not meet the Sepsis 3.0 diagnostic criteria will not benefit from this study.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could lead to faster diagnosis and better management of sepsis in ICU patients.

How similar studies have performed: While similar studies using ddPCR for pathogen detection have shown promise, this specific approach in ICU sepsis patients is relatively novel.

Eligibility criteria

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

* Patients with first diagnosis of sepsis after ICU admission

Exclusion Criteria:

* Age under 18 years
* Do not meet Sepsis 3.0 diagnostic criteria
* Refusal to sign informed consent

Where this trial is running

Wuhan

Study contacts

How to participate

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.
Conditions SepsisBloodstream InfectionsCritically Ill Intensive Care Unit PatientsddPCRICU
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.