In this cohort study of 273,001 patients with sepsis at 231 ICUs in the UK, a higher annual sepsis case volume in the ICU was associated with significantly lower hospital mortality, and this association had no significant interaction with illness severity. A lower volume threshold of 215 treated patients was identified, above which hospital mortality decreased significantly.

The findings suggest that patients with sepsis in the UK have higher odds of survival if treated in an ICU with a higher sepsis case volume.

Among 273,001 patients included in the analysis, the median age was 66 years (interquartile range, 53-76 years), 148,149 (54.3%) were male, and 248,275 (91.0%) were White.

The mean ICNARC-2018 illness severity score was 21.0 (95% CI, 20.9-21.0).

Septic shock accounted for 19.3% of patient admissions, and 54.3% of patients required mechanical ventilation.

The median annual sepsis volume per ICU was 242 cases (interquartile range, 177-334 cases).

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