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8 stories you should read during Sepsis Awareness Month
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According to the CDC, more than 1.5 million people in the United States develop sepsis each year. Although sepsis is serious and can quickly become life-threatening, a survey published by the Sepsis Alliance in 2016 found that only 55% of adults have heard of the condition.
Early detection of sepsis and starting treatment early is crucial to saving lives. To help clinicians keep up to date with the latest research on sepsis during Sepsis Awareness Month, Infectious Disease News has compiled a list of the top stories related to the syndrome.
CDC initiative promotes early detection, rapid treatment of sepsis
CDC has launched Get Ahead of Sepsis, a national educational initiative that highlights the importance of early detection and rapid treatment of sepsis. Read more.
Inappropriate antibiotics, overdiagnosis may hinder sepsis treatment pathway
Overdiagnosis of sepsis and delayed optimization of antibiotics may reduce sepsis pathway effectiveness, according to researchers in Australia. Read more.
Group suggests dropping 30 antibiotics from CMS list for sepsis
A group that includes members of four different medical societies has recommended dropping three antibiotics for monotherapy and 27 for combination therapy from a government list of possible treatments for severe sepsis or septic shock. Read more.
Probiotics effective in preventing sepsis in infants
The use of the probiotic Lactobacillus plantarum plus fructooligosaccharide in neonates born in developing countries is effective in preventing the onset of sepsis, according to a study published in Nature. Read more.
Clinical decision support tool helps reduce mortality in patients with severe sepsis
Implementation of an automated tool designed to support adherence to guidelines and promote optimal decision-making and antibiotic use resulted in significantly reduced mortality in patients with severe sepsis, according to findings presented at the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America spring conference. Read more.
Readmissions, costs higher for sepsis than for four CMS - measured conditions
Sepsis accounted for far more 30-day hospital readmissions than each of the four conditions the government uses to measure penalties for facilities that see a lot of readmissions, according to an analysis of data for nearly half of all inpatients in the United States. Read more.
Rates of severe sepsis higher than previously estimated
Rates of severe sepsis are higher than estimated in most studies, according to a retrospective review of patients on IV antibiotics in Sweden. Read more.
Sepsis begins outside of hospital in 80% of cases
The CDC classified sepsis as a preventable medical emergency and said it begins outside of the hospital in 80% of cases. Read more.
References:
Sepsis Alliance. Frequently Asked Questions About Sepsis and Sepsis Alliance. http://www.sepsis.org/faq/. Accessed on September 8, 2017.
CDC. Sepsis: Basic Information. https://www.cdc.gov/sepsis/basic/index.html Accessed on September 8, 2017.