2023-09-13 20:19:15
Sepsis cases on the rise in Italy. “Some studies have found that the number of death certificates reporting sepsis increased from 18,939 in 2003 to 49,010 in 2015 (from 3% to 8% of all deaths recorded in recent years)” the Ministry of Health points out , recalling the latest data on the occasion of the eleventh World Sepsis Day. “Approximately 47-50 million cases of sepsis occur every year in the world, of which only 20% occur in hospital. Globally one in 5 deaths is associated with sepsis , for a total of at least 11 million deaths per year, equivalent to one death every 2.8 seconds”. And “up to 50% of survivors” experience “long-term effects known as post-sepsis syndrome,” with “persistent physical, cognitive and psychological sequelae. Recovery may take months or years.” “Sepsis is a serious public health problem, especially in developing countries – specifies the ministry – but also in our country”.
Technically, according to the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine (Esicm) and the Society of Critical Care Medicine (Sccm), sepsis means “a life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by an inappropriate response of the host to a infection. Sepsis occurs in response to an infection, which damages tissues and organs and can lead to shock, multiple organ failure and death, especially if unrecognized and not promptly treated. Some people are more at risk of sepsis”, for for example patients “with chronic lung, liver or heart diseases, people without a spleen or with a weakened immune system, children under one year of age, adults over 60 years of age”. Furthermore, “patients suffering from oncological diseases have a 10 times greater risk of sepsis than non-cancer patients”.
“40% of sepsis cases – continues the ministry – are represented by children under the age of 5. In industrialized countries” sepsis “can cause death in 3-4% of newborns and up to 24% of newborns born in developing countries. Every year approximately 680 thousand neonatal deaths due to sepsis occur worldwide, with a particularly high risk in India, Pakistan, Nigeria, Congo, and China. Neonatal sepsis can also lead to serious clinical manifestations, often associated to long-term irreversible deficits”. Among the risk factors, the ministry cites “smoking, as it increases the risk of respiratory infection. Many patients affected by sepsis – highlights the ministry – need blood transfusions or blood products. Therefore, having a safe reserve of blood is important for the fight against sepsis”.
The Day against Sepsis, explains the Ministry of Health, aims to “increase public awareness of the problem, to improve its prevention, recognition and clinical management”.
International organizations such as ESICM and SCCM, or the World Health Assembly (WHA) and the Global Sepsis Alliance (GSA), highlight the need to “improve infection prevention to combat the fight against sepsis through: frequent hand hygiene carried out correctly; the scrupulous application of infection prevention and control measures (Infection prevention and control, IPC) in care settings; the periodic updating of healthcare personnel on IPC and antimicrobial-resistant infections; the availability of safe environments and clean for birth; the use of available vaccinations”.
“Recent documents – concludes the ministry – describe the use of new antibiotics for the treatment of sepsis. Specific biomarkers can be used for the early diagnosis of neonatal sepsis”.
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