The Sepsis Problem
Sepsis is a leading global cause of death in hospitals.
For each hour delay in diagnosis, the chance of death increases by 8%.[1]
Sepsis is the single most expensive condition treated in U.S. hospitals, costing more than $41.5 billion in hospital-related costs in 2018.[2]
Hospitalizations for sepsis is increasing and has more than doubled over the last 10 years.
[1] Kumar A, Roberts D, et al. Duration of hypotension before initiation of effective antimicrobial therapy is the critical determinant of survival in human septic shock. Crit Care Med. 2006 Jun;34(6):1589-96. doi: 10.1097/01.CCM.0000217961.75225.E9. PMID: 16625125.
[2] Buchman, Timothy G. Ph.D., M.D., et al. Sepsis Among Medicare Beneficiaries: 1. The Burdens of Sepsis, 2012–2018, Critical Care Medicine: March 2020 - Volume 48 - Issue 3 - p 276-288 doi: 10.1097/CCM.0000000000004224
About Sepsis
Time is Critical
Overuse of antibiotics & antibiotic resistant superbug incidence is on the rise
Patients stay longer in the hospital and have more complications and procedures
Sepsis Deaths in Numbers
1.7 million U.S. hospitalizations were diagnosed for sepsis in 2019. [3]
30-50% of all sepsis patients die. [3]
Nearly 270,000 Americans die as a result of sepsis every year. [3]
Over 6 million infants and young children die, and 100,000 new mothers every year. [4]
[3] Fay K, Sapiano MRP, Gokhale R, et al. Assessment of Health Care Exposures and Outcomes in Adult Patients With Sepsis and Septic Shock. JAMA Netw Open. 2020;3(7):e206004. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.6004.
[4] Heather E. Hsu, et al. A National Approach to Pediatric Sepsis Surveillance. Pediatrics Dec 2019, 144 (6) e20191790; DOI: 10.1542/peds.2019-1790
Diagnosis is often too late
Clinical symptoms are not specific, especially in children.
However, the diagnosis is very slow.
And provides informative results in 20-40% of cases only.
The Crisis of Antimicrobial Resistance
Antimicrobial resistance develops when doctors are forced to make treatment
decisions in the absence of rapid and reliable diagnostics.
At the time of treatment, physicians disagree on the right treatment in 40-60% of cases
because no accurate diagnostics are available to deliver a result at this time.
This results in the widespread overuse of antibiotics.
Leading to the generation of superbugs.
Antibiotic resistance costs the U.S. over $75 billion each year, contributing to Hospital Acquired Infections (HAIs).
Antimicrobial resistance is forecast to be the leading cause of global death by 2050.
The Cost of Sepsis
There are over $41.5 billion in hospital-related costs in 2018 in the U.S. alone. [5]
Sepsis is considered the most expensive medical condition in hospitals by a wide margin. [5]
The costs related to long-term damage resulting from sepsis are unknown.
Patients with sepsis stay longer in hospital and have more complications and procedures.
[5] Kumar A, Roberts D, et al. Duration of hypotension before initiation of effective antimicrobial therapy is the critical determinant of survival in human septic shock. Crit Care Med. 2006 Jun;34(6):1589-96. doi: 10.1097/01.CCM.0000217961.75225.E9. PMID: 16625125.
Partnership with Sepsis Alliance
Immunexpress has partnered with Sepsis Alliance - a non-profit organization dedicated to informing the public about the dangers and risk factors of sepsis and to promoting clinical best-practices for early detection, diagnosis and treatment. Immunexpress and Sepsis Alliance collaborate on educational webinar programs focused on the challenges of diganosing sepsis.
Resources for patients and providers
- Printable sepsis information guides.
- Educational videos that explain what sepsis is and what it can do
External Resources
Sepsis Alliance is a non-profit organization dedicated to raising sepsis awareness by educating patients, families, and healthcare professionals. Sepsis Alliance is a resource for information including videos, graphics, and fact-sheets.
The Sepsis Institute is an online learning platform that provides healthcare professionals with education and training to improve diagnosis and outcomes.
The Global Sepsis Alliance is a non-profit organization founded in 2010 with the mission of providing global leadership to raise awareness for sepsis and reduce sepsis deaths worldwide.
END SEPSIS is a non-profit organization established in 2012. Its mission is to reduce the number of sepsis-caused deaths by raising public awareness. Initiatives include education and awareness programs to promote faster diagnosis and effective treatment for children and young adults.
The Surviving Sepsis Campaign is a global initiative to bring professional organizations together to improve the treatment of sepsis and reduce the sepsis mortality rates.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is a federal agency under the Department of Health and Human Services. The CDC conducts research and provides health information that protects against health threats and responds when any arise.
The National Institute of Health (NIH) is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; an agency within the federal government. The National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) is part of the NIH and supports basic research to increase the understanding of biological processes.