Radiometer continues the fight against Sepsis

Sepsis is a global medical emergency

Sepsis is a life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by a dysregulated host response to infection [1]. Sepsis arises when the body’s response to an infection injures its own tissues and organs.

Did you know?

Every year, 47 to 50 million people develop sepsis and of those an estimate of 11 million will die from sepsis related causes [2].

Sadly, Sepsis is the number 1 cause of death in hospitals [3], with 1 in 5 deaths worldwide associated with sepsis, and 40% of cases are in children under 5 [2].

Even if a patient does recover, up to 50% of sepsis survivors suffer from long-term physical and/or psychological effects [4].

Video: Why is Sepsis a Global Medical Emergency?

Signs and Symptoms of Sepsis [5]:

Slurred speech or confusion
Extreme shivering or muscle pain/fever
Passing no urine all day
Severe breathlessness
Feeling like you are going to die
Skin mottled or discolored

Challenges in Sepsis Diagnosis and Care

Sepsis can be difficult to identify, particularly in the initial stages. It presents a considerable diagnostic challenge to the emergency department and intensive care clinics. Symptoms are often unclear, and unspecific [6].

Sepsis is often overlooked or recognized too late. The later sepsis is recognized, the more deadly it will become [7].

The mortality rates associated with sepsis remains higher than any other infection-related condition. This is despite strict guidelines for the implementation of early and effective therapies which improve the chance of survival [6,8].

CRP

CRP is a well-established biomarker of infection, inflammation, and is widely used in clinics and emergency departments.

CRP and Sepsis

PCT

Rapid, accurate PCT testing at the point of care is a vital aid to diagnosing sepsis.

PCT and Sepsis

Lactate

Lactate levels are typically elevated in patients with sepsis and septic shock.

Lactate and Sepsis

References

1. Singer M, et al. The Third International Consensus Definitions for Sepsis and Septic Shock (Sepsis-3). JAMA 2016
2. Rudd et al. Global, regional, and national sepsis incidence and mortality, 1990 -2017: analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study. The Lancet Volume 395, Issue 10219, 18 -24 January 2020; 200-211.
3. Rhee C, Jones TM, Hamad Y, Pande A, Varon J, O’Brien C, Anderson DJ, et al. Prevalence, Underlying Causes, and Preventability of Sepsis-Associated Mortality in US Acute Care Hospitals. JAMA Network Open 2019; 2,2.
4. Mostel Z, Perl A, Marck M, Mehdi SF, Lowell B, Bathija S, et al. Post-sepsis syndrome – an evolving entity that afflicts survivors of sepsis. Molecular Medicine 2020) 26,6.
5. What Is Sepsis? — World Sepsis Day - September 13. Assessed November 2022
6. Singer M, Deutschman CS, Seymour CW, Shankar-Hari M, Annane D, Bauer M, et al. The Third International Consensus Definitions for Sepsis and Septic Shock (Sepsis-3). JAMA 2016; 315,8.
7. Seymour CW, Gesten F, Prescott HC, Friedrich ME, Iwashyna TJ, Phillips GS, et al. Time to Treatment and Mortality during Mandated Emergency Care for Sepsis. n engl j med 2017; 376, 23.
8. Vincent JL. Increasing awareness of sepsis: World Sepsis Day. Crit Care 2012