Low-dose Corticosteroids for Adult Patients with Septic Shock

The results of this systematic review provide an evidence summary to inform clinicians regarding decisions to use corticosteroids in adult patients with septic shock. We found that assignment to treatment with corticosteroids... read more

Can A Cocktail Of Vitamins And Steroids Cure A Major Killer In Hospitals?

Scientists have launched two large studies to test a medical treatment that, if proven effective, could have an enormous impact on the leading cause of death in American hospitals. The treatment is aimed at sepsis, a condition... read more

ECMO in Sepsis

In this episode, Zack talks with Heidi Dalton about ECMO use in Sepsis. This is another controversial area with pediatric literature showing strong results while the adult results have been less impressive. Heidi has been... read more

Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of CIRCI in Critically Ill Patients

This part II of the guidelines for the diagnosis and management of critical illness-related corticosteroid insufficiency (CIRCI) in critically ill patients is related to acute illnesses that may be complicated by CIRCI. We... read more

Petition to Retire the Surviving Sepsis Campaign Guidelines

Concern regarding the Surviving Sepsis Campaign (SSC) guidelines dates back to their inception. Guideline development was sponsored by Eli Lilly and Edwards Life Sciences as part of a commercial marketing campaign. Throughout... read more

Fluid Bolus Over 15-20 Versus 5-10 Minutes Each in the First Hour of Resuscitation in Children With Septic Shock

Children receiving fluid boluses over 5–10 minutes each had a higher risk of intubation than those receiving boluses over 15–20 minutes each. Notwithstanding the lack of difference in risk of mortality and the possibility... read more

Diagnosis of Sepsis from a Drop of Blood by Measurement of Spontaneous Neutrophil Motility in a Microfluidic Assay

Current methods for the diagnosis of sepsis have insufficient precision, causing regular misdiagnoses. Microbiological tests can help to diagnose sepsis, but are usually too slow to have an impact on timely clinical decision-making.... read more

Is It CHF? Sepsis? Something Else?

A 59-year-old morbidly obese woman with a history of congestive heart failure presented with three days of intermittent chest discomfort. She characterized it as heartburn—a mid-epigastric burning sensation radiating up... read more

Risk of Recurrence After Surviving Severe Sepsis

Risk of recurrence after surviving severe sepsis is substantial regardless of patient characteristics or infection sites. Further research is necessary to find underlying mechanisms for the high risk of recurrence in these... read more

Severe Sepsis Care in the Emergency Department

Drs. John C. Perkins and Michael E. Winters have assembled an expert team of authors on the topic of Sepsis in the Emergency Department. Article topics include: Defining and Diagnosing Sepsis; Appropriate Antibiotic Therapy;... read more

Severe Sepsis Care in the Emergency Department

Sepsis-3, a New Definition. Solutions or New Problems?

Before we can discuss the "Sepsis-3" definitions, we need to look back at the history of Sepsis definitions, and what the rationale was leading the authors to create a new definition. Below is a brief, albeit non-exhaustive,... read more

Nominate Your Sepsis Hero!

Sepsis Alliance is excited to announce Sepsis Heroes, the organization's annual fundraising gala, will be returning on September 13, 2018 in New York City. The annual event, timed to coincide with Sepsis Awareness Month,... read more

Unexplained Mortality Differences Between Septic Shock Trials

Although the definition of septic shock has been standardized, some variation in mortality rates among clinical trials is expected. Insights into the sources of heterogeneity may influence the design and interpretation of... read more

Septic Cardiomyopathy

Septic cardiomyopathy is an important contributor to organ dysfunction in sepsis. Guided treatment of septic cardiomyopathy may affect patients' prognosis, especially when their cardiac index is substantially decreased. The... read more

Isolated Left Ventricular Failure is a Predictor of Poor Outcome in Patients Receiving Veno-Arterial ECMO

Veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (va-ECMO) is increasingly and successfully used to assist patients with refractory cardiogenic shock from different causes. A total of 132 va-ECMO patients were enrolled.... read more

Evidence for Persistent Immune Suppression in Patients Who Develop Chronic Critical Illness After Sepsis

Many sepsis survivors develop chronic critical illness (CCI) and are assumed to be immunosuppressed, but there is limited clinical evidence to support this. We sought to determine whether the incidence of secondary infections... read more

Does Respiratory Variation Of Inferior Vena Cava Diameter Predict Fluid Responsiveness In Spontaneously Ventilating Children With Sepsis

IVC collapsibility has poor test characteristics for predicting fluid responsiveness in spontaneously ventilating children with sepsis. Thirty-nine fluid boluses were recorded in 33 children, 28/39 (72%) of which met criteria... read more

Temporal Trends in Incidence, Sepsis-Related Mortality, and Hospital-Based Acute Care After Sepsis

Owing to increasing incidence and declining mortality, the number of sepsis survivors at risk for hospital readmission rose significantly between 2010 and 2015. The 30-day hospital readmission rates for sepsis declined modestly... read more

The long sepsis journey in low- and middle-income countries begins with a first step… but on which road?

Infection and sepsis are among the most frequent acute medical conditions worldwide and result in approximately eight million premature deaths each year, most of which occur in low and lower-middle income countries (LMICs).... read more

Improving Survival Rates From Sepsis

Sepsis kills more Australians each year than breast cancer and prostate cancer combined. Daily, as many as 20,000 people worldwide are thought to die from this deadly disease. Also known as blood poisoning, sepsis is a life-threatening... read more

Survival Benefit of a Low Ratio of Visceral to Subcutaneous Adipose Tissue Depends on LDL Clearance vs. Production in Sepsis

Patients with sepsis with a high ratio of visceral adipose tissue (VAT) to subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) have increased mortality. Our goal was to investigate the mechanism of this effect, noting that low LDL levels are... read more

Prehospital Antibiotics Improved Some Aspects of Sepsis Care

Training EMS personnel in early recognition of sepsis improved some aspects of care within the acute care chain, but did not reduce mortality, according to results of a randomized trial. Emergency medical service (EMS) personnel... read more