Organ dysfunction markers in maternal sepsis commonly include which combination?

Organ dysfunction markers in maternal sepsis commonly include which combination?

• A. Elevated creatinine, elevated liver enzymes, and decreased platelets
• B. Elevated creatinine only
• C. Decreased creatinine and normal LFTs
• D. Low lactate and normal platelets

Answer: (A)

In maternal sepsis, organ dysfunction is reflected by involvement of multiple organ systems, and the lab markers that signal this dysfunction typically include the kidneys, liver, and blood-forming/coagulation systems. Elevated creatinine indicates kidney injury, which is a common and serious complication in sepsis. Elevated liver enzymes point to hepatic dysfunction, another frequent organ insult during septic processes. A decreased platelet count signals hematologic/coagulation abnormalities, which can arise from sepsis-related disseminated intravascular coagulation or liver-related effects on platelets. Together, these markers show multi-system involvement, which is characteristic of severe sepsis. The other options don’t fit as well because they either focus on a single abnormality, propose a counterintuitive change (like decreased creatinine), or rely on lactate levels with normal platelets, which doesn’t capture organ dysfunction across multiple systems.

In maternal sepsis, organ dysfunction is reflected by involvement of multiple organ systems, and the lab markers that signal this dysfunction typically include the kidneys, liver, and blood-forming/coagulation systems. Elevated creatinine indicates kidney injury, which is a common and serious complication in sepsis. Elevated liver enzymes point to hepatic dysfunction, another frequent organ insult during septic processes. A decreased platelet count signals hematologic/coagulation abnormalities, which can arise from sepsis-related disseminated intravascular coagulation or liver-related effects on platelets. Together, these markers show multi-system involvement, which is characteristic of severe sepsis.

The other options don’t fit as well because they either focus on a single abnormality, propose a counterintuitive change (like decreased creatinine), or rely on lactate levels with normal platelets, which doesn’t capture organ dysfunction across multiple systems.