World Sepsis Day 2024: Deepen cognition, optimize diagnosis and treatment, and build a healthy future together

September 13, 2024 is the 13th World Sepsis Day. This year's theme is: "Time to Act: Global Unity through Sepsis Awareness". Sepsis is a complex inflammatory response process and an important factor leading to increased disease incidence and mortality worldwide. It is estimated that there are about 20 to 30 million cases of sepsis worldwide each year, and almost one person loses his life every 3 to 4 seconds.

What is sepsis?

Sepsis is a serious infectious disease. It is a systemic inflammatory response caused by a strong immune response after bacteria, fungi, viruses or other pathogenic microorganisms enter the human body. It may cause long-term and permanent organ damage. If hypotension occurs and is not corrected in time, the patient may progress to a highly fatal septic shock state. Sepsis not only threatens the patient's life safety, but also may leave lasting effects on those who survive, such as organ damage, physical function and cognitive dysfunction.

Major risk factors for sepsis

Knowing these risk factors can help you take preventive measures, and seeking medical help promptly at the first sign of infection is essential to preventing the development of sepsis.

1. Age: Infants and the elderly are more susceptible to sepsis because their immune systems may not be as strong as those of healthy adults.

2. Chronic diseases: People with chronic diseases such as diabetes, liver disease, kidney disease, cancer or AIDS are more susceptible to infection due to their impaired immune system.

3. Impaired immune system: Whether it is congenital immunodeficiency or immunosuppression caused by drug treatment (such as chemotherapy or long-term use of corticosteroids), it will increase the risk of infection.

4. Severe trauma or burns: After the body suffers severe trauma or large-area burns, the skin's function as a natural barrier is damaged, making it easier for infection to invade the body.

5. Hospitalization: Prolonged hospitalization, especially in the intensive care unit (ICU), increases the chance of exposure to multidrug-resistant bacteria. The use of central venous catheters or other medical devices also increases the risk of infection.

6. Surgery: Any surgical procedure has the potential to introduce infection, especially when the procedure is complex or involves internal organs.

7. Malnutrition: Malnutrition can weaken the immune system and make people more susceptible to infection.

8. Others: Bad lifestyle habits including alcoholism and smoking may also increase the risk of sepsis.

Symptoms of Sepsis

If you suspect you or someone else may have sepsis, you should seek medical help immediately. Prompt diagnosis and treatment are critical to preventing the condition from getting worse. In a hospital setting, doctors will use the above symptoms in conjunction with laboratory tests and other diagnostic tools to confirm the presence of sepsis and assess its severity.

1. Fever or hypothermia: People with sepsis may experience high fever or abnormally low body temperature.

2. Increased heart rate: An increased heart rate may be one of the early signs of sepsis.

3. Shortness of breath: Rapid breathing or difficulty breathing may be a sign of sepsis.

4. Altered consciousness: The patient may feel confused, drowsy, or difficult to arouse.

5. Hypotension: As the condition worsens, the patient may develop hypotension, which is a precursor to septic shock.

6. Chills and sweats: This is a common response of the body trying to fight infection.

7. Decreased urine output: Decreased urine output may occur due to decreased blood flow to the kidneys.

8. Skin changes: The skin may become pale, cold, clammy, or blotchy.

9. Extreme tiredness or weakness: Feeling very tired and weak is one of the common symptoms of sepsis.

10. Nausea or vomiting: These symptoms sometimes occur with sepsis.

Early recognition and treatment of sepsis

Early identification and timely treatment are critical to improving the prognosis of patients with sepsis. Studies have shown that antibiotic treatment within the first hour after diagnosis can increase the patient's survival rate to nearly 80%, while for every hour of delayed treatment, the survival rate decreases by about 7.6%. The choice of initial treatment is equally important, and using the wrong antibiotic can reduce the patient's chance of survival by as much as five times. Given that the mortality rate of sepsis increases by the hours, time is crucial for treatment, so early identification of sepsis is a key step in successful treatment.

So far, sepsis remains a major challenge to global public health. By deepening our understanding of sepsis, we can effectively reduce the health risks it brings. Let us increase our attention to sepsis, strengthen knowledge popularization, promote early identification and timely intervention of sepsis, and save more lives.