Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2021 Apr 1;34(2):71-76.
doi: 10.1097/ACO.0000000000000958.

Epidemiology of sepsis and septic shock

Catherine Chiu  1 , Matthieu Legrand  1   2
Affiliations
Review

Epidemiology of sepsis and septic shock

Catherine Chiu et al. Curr Opin Anaesthesiol. .

Abstract

Purpose of review: The epidemiology of sepsis and septic shock has been challenging to study for multiple reasons. These include changing diagnostic definitions, as well a high concentration of sepsis-related studies published from high-income countries (HICs), despite a large global burden. This section attempts to address the incidence of sepsis throughout the years and worldwide.

Recent findings: The incidence of sepsis and septic shock has continued to increase since the first consensus definitions (Sepsis-1) were established in 1991, and the latest definitions (Sepsis-3) provide a better reflection of mortality risk for a diagnosis of sepsis. Several studies argue that the incidence of sepsis is overreported in HICs, based on billing and coding practices, and may lead to overutilization of resources. However, recent estimates of the true global burden of sepsis, including low-income countries, are likely much higher than reported, with calls for better allocation of resources.

Summary: The true epidemiology of sepsis worldwide continues to be a highly debated subject, and more research is needed among low-income countries and high-risk subpopulations.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Kempker JA, Martin GS. The changing epidemiology and definitions of sepsis. Clin Chest Med 2016; 37:165–179.
    1. Moss M. Epidemiology of sepsis: race, sex, and chronic alcohol abuse. Clin Infect Dis 2005; 41: (Suppl 7): S490–S497.
    1. Adhikari NK, Fowler RA, Bhagwanjee S, Rubenfeld GD. Critical care and the global burden of critical illness in adults. Lancet 2010; 376:1339–1346.
    1. Rudd KE, Johnson SC, Agesa KM, et al. Global, regional, and national sepsis incidence and mortality, 1990–2017: analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study. Lancet 2020; 395:200–211.
    1. Fleischmann-Struzek C, Mellhammar L, Rose N, et al. Incidence and mortality of hospital- and ICU-treated sepsis: results from an updated and expanded systematic review and meta-analysis. Intensive Care Med 2020; 46:1552–1562.