Sepsis as a global health problem-why we need a global sepsis alliance. Shock. 2013;39 Suppl 1:3-4. [PMID: 23481494 DOI: 10.1097/shk.0b013e31828fad61]

Multinational trends in sepsis mortality between 1985 and 2019: a temporal analysis of the WHO Mortality Database

OBJECTIVES

Understanding the burden of disease of sepsis is essential for monitoring the effectiveness of international strategies to improve sepsis care. Our objective was to describe the multinational trend of sepsis-related mortality for the period 1985-2019 from the WHO Mortality Database.

DESIGN

Retrospective analysis of the WHO Mortality Database.

SETTING

We included data from all countries defined by the WHO as having 'high usability data' and at least 10 years of total available data.

PARTICIPANTS

From the WHO list of 50 countries with high usability data, 14 (28%) were excluded due to excessive missingness. We included and analysed data separately for male and female.

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES

We analysed age-standardised mortality rates (ASMR) (weighted average of the age-specific mortality rates per 100 000 people, where the weights are the proportions of people in the corresponding age groups of the WHO standard population).

RESULTS

We included 1104 country-years worth of data from 36 countries with high usability data, accounting for around 15% of the world's population. The median ASMR for men decreased from 37.8 deaths/100 000 (IQR 28.4-46.7) in 1985-1987 to 25.8 deaths/100 000 (IQR 19.2-37) in 2017-2019, an approximately 12% absolute (31.8% relative) decrease. For women, the overall ASMR decreased from 22.9 deaths/100 000 (IQR 17.7-32.2) to 16.2 deaths/100 000 (IQR 12.6-21.6), an approximately 6.7% absolute decrease (29.3% relative decrease). The analysis of country-level data revealed wide variations in estimates and trends.

CONCLUSIONS

We observed a decrease in reported sepsis-related mortality across the majority of analysed nations between 1985 and 2019. However, significant variability remains between gender and health systems. System-level and population-level factors may contribute to these differences, and additional investigations are necessary to further explain these trends.

Multidrug-Resistant Sepsis: A Critical Healthcare Challenge

Sepsis globally accounts for an alarming annual toll of 48.9 million cases, resulting in 11 million deaths, and inflicts an economic burden of approximately USD 38 billion on the United States healthcare system. The rise of multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) has elevated the urgency surrounding the management of multidrug-resistant (MDR) sepsis, evolving into a critical global health concern. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the current epidemiology of (MDR) sepsis and its associated healthcare challenges, particularly in critically ill hospitalized patients. Highlighted findings demonstrated the complex nature of (MDR) sepsis pathophysiology and the resulting immune responses, which significantly hinder sepsis treatment. Studies also revealed that aging, antibiotic overuse or abuse, inadequate empiric antibiotic therapy, and underlying comorbidities contribute significantly to recurrent sepsis, thereby leading to septic shock, multi-organ failure, and ultimately immune paralysis, which all contribute to high mortality rates among sepsis patients. Moreover, studies confirmed a correlation between elevated readmission rates and an increased risk of cognitive and organ dysfunction among sepsis patients, amplifying hospital-associated costs. To mitigate the impact of sepsis burden, researchers have directed their efforts towards innovative diagnostic methods like point-of-care testing (POCT) devices for rapid, accurate, and particularly bedside detection of sepsis; however, these methods are currently limited to detecting only a few resistance biomarkers, thus warranting further exploration. Numerous interventions have also been introduced to treat MDR sepsis, including combination therapy with antibiotics from two different classes and precision therapy, which involves personalized treatment strategies tailored to individual needs. Finally, addressing MDR-associated healthcare challenges at regional levels based on local pathogen resistance patterns emerges as a critical strategy for effective sepsis treatment and minimizing adverse effects.

Analysis of pathogenic factors on the death rate of sepsis patients

BACKGROUND

The Surviving Sepsis Campaign (SSC) believed that early identification of septic shock, aggressive fluid resuscitation and maintenance of effective perfusion pressure should be carried out. However, some of the current research focused on a single death factor for sepsis patients, based on a limited sample, and the research results of the relationship between comorbidities and sepsis related death also have some controversies.

METHOD

Therefore, our study used data from a large sample of 9,544 sepsis patients aged 18-85 obtained from the MIMIC-IV database, to explore the risk factors of death in patients with sepsis. We used the general clinical information, organ dysfunction scores, and comorbidities to analyze the independent risk factors for death of these patients.

RESULTS

The death group had significantly higher organ dysfunction scores, lower BMI, lower body temperature, faster heart rate and lower urine-output. Among the comorbidities, patients suffering from congestive heart failure and liver disease had a higher mortality rate.

CONCLUSION

This study helps to identify sepsis early, based on a comprehensive evaluation of a patient's basic information, organ dysfunction scores and comorbidities, and this methodology could be used for actual clinical diagnosis in hospitals.

Vancomycin and daptomycin modulate the innate immune response in a murine model of LPS-induced sepsis

Sepsis is a leading cause of death worldwide, despite the use of multimodal therapies. Common antibiotic regimens are being affected by a rising number of multidrug-resistant pathogens, and new therapeutic approaches are therefore needed. Antibiotics have immunomodulatory properties which appear to be beneficial in the treatment of sepsis. We hypothesized that the last-resort antibiotics vancomycin (VAN) and daptomycin (DMC) modulate cell migration, phagocytosis, and protein cytokine levels in a murine model of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced sepsis. Ten to twelve-week-old C57BL/6 mice (n = 4-6 animals per group) were stimulated with LPS for 20 h, followed by the administration of VAN or DMC. The outcome parameters were leukocyte accumulation and effector function. Quantification of the immune cells in the peritoneal lavage was performed using flow cytometry analysis. Phagocytosis was measured using pHrodo E. coli BioParticles. The response of the cytokines TNFα, IL-6, and IL-10 was measured in vitro using murine peritoneal macrophages stimulated with LPS and VAN or DMC. VAN decreased both the peritoneal macrophage and the dendritic cell populations following LPS stimulation. DMC reduced the dendritic cell population in the peritoneal cavity in LPS-infected mice. Both antibiotics increased the phagocytic activity in peritoneal macrophages, but this effect was diminished in response to LPS. Phagocytosis of dendritic cells was increased in LPS-infected animals treated with VAN. VAN and DMC differently modulated the levels of pro-and anti-inflammatory cytokines. In a murine model of LPS-induced sepsis, VAN and DMC exhibit immunomodulatory effects on cells involved in innate immunity. The question of whether these antibiotics exhibit synergistic effects in the treatment of septic patients, beyond their bactericidal properties, should be further evaluated in future studies.

Highly visible sepsis publications from 2012 to 2017: Analysis and comparison of altmetrics and bibliometrics

PURPOSE

We sought to delineate highly visible publications related to sepsis. Within these subsets, elements of altmetrics performance, including mentions on Twitter, and the correlation between altmetrics and conventional citation counts were ascertained.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Three subsets of sepsis publications from 2012 to 2017 were synthesized by the overall Altmetric.com attention score, number of mentions by unique Twitter users, and conventional citation counts. For these subsets, geolocated Twitter activity was plotted on a choropleth, the lag between publication date and altmetrics mentions was characterized, and correlations were examined between altmetrics performance and normalized conventional citation counts.

RESULTS

Of 57,152 PubMed query results, Altmetric.com data was available for 28,344 (49.6%). The top 50 publications by Altmetric.com attention score and Twitter attention represented a mix of original research and other types of work, garnering attention from Twitter users in 143 countries that was highly contemporaneous with publication. Altmetrics performance and conventional citation counts were poorly correlated.

CONCLUSIONS

While unreliable to gauge impact or future citation potential, altmetrics may be valuable for parties who wish to detect and drive public awareness of research findings and may enable researchers to dynamically explore the reach of their work in novel dimensions.

A Novel Role of a Chemotherapeutic Agent in a Rat Model of Endotoxemia: Modulation of the STAT-3 Signaling Pathway

Sepsis caused by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is a life-threatening disease accompanied by multiple organ failure. This study investigated the curative effects of imatinib (IMA) against hepatic, renal, and pulmonary responses caused by a single administration of LPS (10 mg/kg, i.p.) in rats. Treatment with IMA (15 mg/kg, i.p.) 30 min after LPS antagonized the LPS-induced boost of liver enzymes (ALT, AST), kidney functions (BUN, sCr) as well as the elevated pulmonary vascular permeability and edema. IMA declined tissue contents of NF-κB, STAT-3, P38-MAPK, TNF-α, IL-1β, and iNOS. It also amplified the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 as well as the Bcl-2/Bax ratio, a cardinal indicator of the anti-apoptotic effect. Meanwhile, the rats exhibited marked reduction of the broncho-alveolar lavage fluid (BALF) contents of TNF-α, IL-1β, IFN-γ, and neutrophil count; however, they revealed prominent augmentation of the BALF content IL-10. In conclusion, these findings suggest that IMA is endowed with anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, and anti-apoptotic properties and hence may provide a novel agent for the management of sepsis.

Rehabilitation for patients with sepsis: A systematic review and meta-analysis

The objective of this systematic review was to determine whether rehabilitation impacts clinically relevant outcomes among adult patients with sepsis. Randomized controlled trials from the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), PEDro, and the World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Platform Search Portal, as well as conference proceedings and reference lists of relevant articles were collected. Two reviewers independently identified randomized controlled trials on the rehabilitation of patients with sepsis, and the two reviewers independently abstracted trial level data including population characteristics, interventions, comparisons, and clinical outcomes. Our primary outcomes were quality of life (QOL), activity of daily living (ADL), and mortality. Our secondary outcomes were length of stay, return to work, muscle strength, delirium, and all adverse events. The quality of evidence was determined using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) approach. We included two trials enrolling 75 patients. The mean difference (95% confidence interval [CI]) of physical function and physical role in QOL measured by SF-36 were 21.10 (95% CI: 6.57–35.63) and 44.40 (95% CI: 22.55–66.05), respectively. Rehabilitation did not significantly decrease intensive care unit (ICU) mortality (risk ratio, 2.02 [95% CI: 0.46–8.91], I² = 0%; n = 75). ICU length of stay and hospital length of stay and muscle strength were not statistically significantly different and no adverse events were reported in both studies. The certainty of the evidence for these outcomes was “very low.” Data on ADL, return to work, and delirium were not available in any of the trials. Rehabilitation of patients with sepsis might not decrease ICU mortality, but might improve QOL. Further, well-designed trials measuring important outcomes will be needed to determine the benefit and harm of rehabilitation among patients with sepsis.

How Can We Estimate Sepsis Incidence and Mortality?

Sepsis is one of the oldest and complex syndromes in medicine that has been in debate for over two millennia. Valid and comparable data on the population burden of sepsis constitute an essential resource for guiding health policy and resource allocation. Despite current epidemiological data suggesting that the global burden of sepsis is huge, the knowledge of its incidence, prevalence, mortality, and case-fatality rates is subject to several flaws. The objective of this narrative review is to assess how sepsis incidence and mortality can be estimated, providing examples on how it has been done so far in medical literature and discussing its possible biases. Results of recent studies suggest that sepsis incidence rates are increasing consistently during the last decades. Although estimates might be biased, this probably reflects a real increase in incidence over time. Nevertheless, case fatality rates have decreased, which is a probable reflex of advances in critical care provision to this very sick population at high risk of death. This conclusion can only be drawn with a reasonable degree of certainty for high-income countries. Conversely, adequately designed studies from middle- and low-income countries are urgently needed. In these countries, sepsis incidence and case-fatality rates could be disproportionally higher due to health care provision constraints and ineffective preventive measures.

Global trends in the awareness of sepsis: insights from search engine data between 2012 and 2017

BACKGROUND

Sepsis is an established global health priority with high mortality that can be curtailed through early recognition and intervention; as such, efforts to raise awareness are potentially impactful and increasingly common. We sought to characterize trends in the awareness of sepsis by examining temporal, geographic, and other changes in search engine utilization for sepsis information-seeking online.

METHODS

Using time series analyses and mixed descriptive methods, we retrospectively analyzed publicly available global usage data reported by Google Trends (Google, Palo Alto, CA, USA) concerning web searches for the topic of sepsis between 24 June 2012 and 24 June 2017. Google Trends reports aggregated and de-identified usage data for its search products, including interest over time, interest by region, and details concerning the popularity of related queries where applicable. Outlying epochs of search activity were identified using autoregressive integrated moving average modeling with transfer functions. We then identified awareness campaigns and news media coverage that correlated with epochs of significantly heightened search activity.

RESULTS

A second-order autoregressive model with transfer functions was specified following preliminary outlier analysis. Nineteen significant outlying epochs above the modeled baseline were identified in the final analysis that correlated with 14 awareness and news media events. Our model demonstrated that the baseline level of search activity increased in a nonlinear fashion. A recurrent cyclic increase in search volume beginning in 2012 was observed that correlates with World Sepsis Day. Numerous other awareness and media events were correlated with outlying epochs. The average worldwide search volume for sepsis was less than that of influenza, myocardial infarction, and stroke.

CONCLUSIONS

Analyzing aggregate search engine utilization data has promise as a mechanism to measure the impact of awareness efforts. Heightened information-seeking about sepsis occurs in close proximity to awareness events and relevant news media coverage. Future work should focus on validating this approach in other contexts and comparing its results to traditional methods of awareness campaign evaluation.

Treatment of sepsis: What is the antibiotic choice in bacteremia due to carbapenem resistant Enterobacteriaceae?

Sepsis is one of the major challenges of today. Although gram-positive bacteria related infections are more prevalent in hospital setting, the highest mortality rate is associated with gram-negative microorganisms especially Enterobacteriaceae. Enterobacteriaceae, including Escherichia coli, Klebsiella spp., Proteus spp., Enterobacter spp. and Serratia spp. Resistance to β-lactams in Enterobacteriaceae is primarily attributed to the production of B-lactamase enzymes with subsequent antibiotic hydrolysis and to a lesser extent by alteration of efflux pump or porins expression. Carbapenem resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) and Acinetobacter baumannii are the most notorious pathogens due to the high incidence of morbidity and mortality especially in the immunocompromised patients in the intensive care unit. The most appropriate antimicrobial therapy to treat CRE is still controversial. Combination therapy is preferred over monotherapy due to its broad-spectrum coverage of micro-organisms, due to its synergetic effect and to prevent development of further resistance. Current suggested therapies for CRE resistance as well as promising antibiotics that are currently under investigation for winning the war against the emerging CRE resistance are reviewed and discussed.

Use of explicit ICD9-CM codes to identify adult severe sepsis: impacts on epidemiological estimates

BACKGROUND

Severe sepsis is a challenge for healthcare systems, and epidemiological studies are essential to assess its burden and trends. However, there is no consensus on which coding strategy should be used to reliably identify severe sepsis. This study assesses the use of explicit codes to define severe sepsis and the impacts of this on the incidence and in-hospital mortality rates.

METHODS

We examined episodes of severe sepsis in adults aged ≥18 years registered in the 2006-2011 national hospital discharge database, identified in an exclusive manner by two ICD-9-CM coding strategies: (1) those assigned explicit ICD-9-CM codes (995.92, 785.52); and (2) those assigned combined ICD-9-CM infection and organ dysfunction codes according to modified Martin criteria. The coding strategies were compared in terms of the populations they defined and their relative implementation. Trends were assessed using Joinpoint regression models and expressed as annual percentage change (APC).

RESULTS

Of 222 846 episodes of severe sepsis identified, 138 517 (62.2 %) were assigned explicit codes and 84 329 (37.8 %) combination codes; incidence rates were 60.6 and 36.9 cases per 100 000 inhabitants, respectively. Despite similar demographic characteristics, cases identified by explicit codes involved fewer comorbidities, fewer registered pathogens, greater extent of organ dysfunction (two or more organs affected in 60 % versus 26 % of cases) and higher in-hospital mortality (54.5 % versus 29 %; risk ratio 1.86, 95 % CI 1.83, 1.88). Between 2006 and 2011, explicit codes were increasingly implemented. Standardised incidence rates in this cohort increased over time with an APC of 12.3 % (95 % CI 4.4, 20.8); in the combination code cohort, rates increased by 3.8 % (95 % CI 1.3, 6.3). A decreasing trend in mortality was observed in both cohorts though the APC was -8.1 % (95 % CI -10.4, -5.7) in the combination code cohort and -3.5 % (95 % CI -3.9, -3.2) in the explicit code cohort.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest greater and increasing use of explicit codes for adult severe sepsis in Spain. This trend will have substantial impacts on epidemiological estimates, because these codes capture cases featuring greater organ dysfunction and in-hospital mortality.

Oral Administration of Escin Inhibits Acute Inflammation and Reduces Intestinal Mucosal Injury in Animal Models

The present study aimed to investigate the effects of oral administration of escin on acute inflammation and intestinal mucosal injury in animal models. The effects of escin on carrageenan-induced paw edema in a rat model of acute inflammation, cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) induced intestinal mucosal injury in a mouse model, were observed. It was shown that oral administration of escin inhibits carrageenan-induced paw edema and decreases the production of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and cyclooxygenase- (COX-) 2. In CLP model, low dose of escin ameliorates endotoxin induced liver injury and intestinal mucosal injury and increases the expression of tight junction protein claudin-5 in mice. These findings suggest that escin effectively inhibits acute inflammation and reduces intestinal mucosal injury in animal models.

Recognition and Management of Sepsis in Children: Practice Patterns in the Emergency Department

BACKGROUND

Pediatric sepsis remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. Understanding current practice patterns and challenges is essential to inform future research and education strategies.

OBJECTIVE

Our aim was to describe the practice patterns of pediatric emergency physicians (PEPs) in the recognition and management of sepsis in children and to identify perceived priorities for future research and education.

METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional, internet-based survey of members of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Section on Emergency Medicine and Pediatric Emergency Research Canada. The survey was internally derived, externally validated, and distributed using a modified Dillman methodology. Rank scores (RS) were calculated for responses using Likert-assigned frequency values.

RESULTS

Tachycardia, mental-status changes, and abnormal temperature (RS = 83.7, 80.6, and 79.6) were the highest ranked clinical measures for diagnosing sepsis; white blood cell count, lactate, and band count (RS = 73.5, 70.9, and 69.1) were the highest ranked laboratory investigations. The resuscitation fluid of choice (85.5%) was normal saline. Dopamine was the first-line vasoactive medication (VAM) for cold (57.1%) and warm (42.2%) shock with epinephrine (18.5%) and norepinephrine (25.1%) as second-line VAMs (cold and warm, respectively). Steroid administration increased with complexity of presentation (all-comers 3.8%, VAM-resistant shock 54.5%, chronic steroid users 72.0%). Local ED-specific clinical pathways, national emergency department (ED)-specific guidelines, and identification of clinical biomarkers were described as future priorities.

CONCLUSIONS

While practice variability exists among clinicians, PEPs continue to rely heavily on clinical metrics for recognizing sepsis. Improved recognition through clinical biomarkers and standardization of care were perceived as priorities. Our results provide a strong framework to guide future research and education strategies in pediatric sepsis.

Sepsis in Canadian children: a national analysis using administrative data

BACKGROUND

Severe infection resulting in sepsis is recognized as a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. The purpose of this study is to use longitudinal, population-based data to report national-level hospital metrics, providing a current assessment of the status of sepsis hospitalizations in Canadian children.

METHODS

We performed an analysis of previously abstracted data from the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) Discharge Abstract Database (DAD). Children aged 0-17 years at the time of hospital admission were identified from a cohort of patients with sepsis or severe sepsis using the International Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 10th Revision (ICD-10-CA) and the Canadian Classification of Health Interventions (CCI). Descriptive population-based statistics are reported.

RESULTS

Hospitalization data for 20,130 children admitted over 5 years were reviewed. The majority of children were young, with neonates (56.3%) and infants under 2 months (18.8%) representing the majority of cases. A decline in age-adjusted hospitalization rates was demonstrated in both overall and non-severe sepsis across the study period; however, no change was demonstrated for severe sepsis. While overall in-hospital crude mortality rates did not change significantly across the study period (range 5.1%-5.4%), a significant decrease was found in children aged 3-23 months and adolescents. Multi-organ failure was reported in more than one-quarter of children with severe sepsis. Odds of mortality increased significantly with number of organs failed.

CONCLUSION

Sepsis remains an important cause of morbidity and mortality in Canadian children, posing a significant burden on health care resources. Age continues to be associated with the incidence and severity of illness. Overall hospitalization rates have declined over time, as has mortality in severe sepsis. This report provides baseline metrics for future outcome-based research in Canada targeting prevention strategies and early diagnosis, as well as therapies preventing and managing organ failure.

Mesenchymal stem cells ameliorate sepsis-associated acute kidney injury in mice

OBJECTIVE

Significant progress has been made in critical care medicine during the past several decades. However, the mortality rate is still high in patients with sepsis, especially with acute kidney injury (AKI). Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) possess an ability to ameliorate renal injury from ischemia-reperfusion, but it is still unknown whether they have the ability to reduce sepsis-associated AKI.

METHODS

Male C57BL/6 mice underwent cecal ligation and puncture operation to induce sepsis and then received either normal saline or MSCs (1 × 10 cells intravenously) 3 h after surgery.

RESULTS

Within 24 h after cecal ligation and puncture operation, the septic mice developed kidney injury and exhibited a higher mortality. Treatment with MSCs decreased serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen levels and improved recovery of tubular function. mRNA levels of interleukin 6 (IL-6), IL-17, tumor necrosis factor α, interferon γ, CXCL1, CXCL2, CXCL5, CCL2, and CCL3 in kidney tissue were dramatically decreased after MSC treatment. Neutrophil infiltration in kidney and blood bacterial loads were attenuated after MSC injection. Moreover, mice treated with MSCs had a higher survival rate than the saline treatment group. Injected MSCs were mainly localized in the lungs, spleen, and abdominal cavity lymph node, but not in the kidneys.

CONCLUSIONS

Treatment with MSCs can alleviate sepsis-associated AKI and improve survival in mice with polymicrobial sepsis. These effects may be mediated by the inhibition of IL-17 secretion and balance of the proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory states. Mesenchymal stem cells may be a potential new therapeutic agent for the prevention or reduction of sepsis-associated AKI.

Hydrogen gas presents a promising therapeutic strategy for sepsis

Sepsis is characterized by a severe inflammatory response to infection. It remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality in critically ill patients despite developments in monitoring devices, diagnostic tools, and new therapeutic options. Recently, some studies have found that molecular hydrogen is a new therapeutic gas. Our studies have found that hydrogen gas can improve the survival and organ damage in mice and rats with cecal ligation and puncture, zymosan, and lipopolysaccharide-induced sepsis. The mechanisms are associated with the regulation of oxidative stress, inflammatory response, and apoptosis, which might be through NF- κ B and Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway. In this paper, we summarized the progress of hydrogen treatment in sepsis.