Sepsis is a serious clinical condition caused by a dysregulated host response to infection and characterized by marked systemic inflammation, organ damage, failing homeostasis, coagulopathy, and ultimately multiple organ failure. In the U.S., sepsis is the 10th leading cause of death and #1 cause of in-hospital mortality. Approximately half of septic patients in ICU have clotting dysfunction, a condition termed sepsis-induced coagulopathy (SIC). The pathogenesis and clinical management of SIC are complex and challenging.

In a Featured Article published on the April issue of A&A, “Sepsis-Induced Coagulopathy: A Comprehensive Narrative Review of Pathophysiology, Clinical Presentation, Diagnosis, and Management Strategies”, Dr. Brittney Williams, Associate Professor, Department of Anesthesiology, and her colleagues take an in-depth look through both preclinical and clinical investigations and critically examine the role of innate immune signaling in the development of coagulopathy, the impact on its clinical presentation, and the major clinical trials of various treatment strategies in SIC. The article provides a rare insight into the basic mechanism and clinical management of the complicated disease. In addition to being the A&A cover story, there is an editor-organized podcast – Article of the Month – focusing on the undertaking of this project and Q/A on sepsis-induced coagulopathy.