An international study reveals serious shortcomings in sepsis care in hospitals

It is estimated that up to 50 million people suffer from sepsis every year in the world, with more than 4 million neonatal and infant cases, and 270.000 cases of maternal sepsis. According to data from the Global Sepsis Alliance, this disease —which arises when the body responds in an extreme way to an infection, damaging its own tissues and organs— causes more than11 million deaths annually, or what is the same: 1 death every 2,8 seconds.

Despite its seriousness and being a medical emergency in the world, as health authorities point out, the general knowledge of the population about this condition is extremely low and it does not receive the attention of other diseases, such as cancer. And not only that, according to a study recently published in the journal American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, face exist serious shortcomings in sepsis care in hospitals.

A global study on hospital management of sepsis

An international group of researchers has conducted a study to evaluate sepsis care in hospitals and analyze the degree of compliance with recommendations and clinical guidelines on its management, as well as the availability of infrastructure for the care of these patients. The study is based on a survey that included 1.023 hospitals in 69 countries, mostly European.

The researcher of the translational research group in the critical patient at the Parc Taulí Institute for Research and Innovation (I3PT-CERCA) Antoni Artigas, has led the study in Catalonia.

"We have analyzed the programs that hospitals have for the early detection of sepsis, the application of standardized treatment, the availability of adequate infrastructure and quality improvement strategies; essential components in any hospital's sepsis plan," explains Artigas.

It is urgent to improve the actions

The study concludes that, although clear guidelines exist, it is necessary to improve sepsis care worldwide and implement more quality programs and protocols to reduce the high mortality rates associated with this condition, according to Artigas.

Specifically, the research indicates that only 54% of emergency services, 48% of hospital floors and the 62% of ICUs perform regular screening to identify sepsis. Likewise, the Standardized management is only implemented in 57% of emergency services, 45% of hospital wards and 70% of ICUs.

The study also warns that less than 10% of hospitals have microbiological diagnostics accessible 24/7, which can delay appropriate treatment. In addition, only 4,6% of hospitals have specific programs for sepsis, and only one 9,8% have implemented quality improvement initiatives.

The results show that "there is ample room for improvement in a large number of hospitals, mainly European ones", emphasizes Artigas, who adds: "More efforts are needed from all agents to offer more comprehensive care of adequate quality. The severity of sepsis demands it".

Future research

The study has given rise to new research, coordinated by Artigas, which compares the sepsis management strategies of all hospitals in Catalonia —obtaining a completely representative sample— with those of the European Union countries"We hope to publish the results soon, which we have seen are very favorable for our hospitals, thanks to the implementation throughout the territory of the Sepsis Code in 2017”, the researcher said.

Study reference

Scheer CS, Giamarellos-Bourboulis EJ, Ferrer R, Idelevich EA, Annane D, Artigas A, et al. "Status of Sepsis Care in European Hospitals: Results from an International Cross-Sectional Survey." American journal of respiratory and critical care medicine, 10.1164/rccm.202406-1167OC. 9 Jan 2025, doi:10.1164/rccm.202406-1167OC

Sepsis in the European Parliament

The European Sepsis Alliance (ESA) will hold its 8th annual meeting at the European Parliament on March 19, 2025 to promote the inclusion of sepsis in EU health policies. The event will bring together policymakers and experts, including Dr. Antoni Artigas, with the aim of involving European politicians and different agents in the definition of public health strategies to improve the approach to sepsis.

Image: Pathogenic bacteria in the bloodstream with red blood cells illustrating septicemia and sepsis in a human body