Knowledge and challenge: Inspiration gained from the epidemiological trend of sepsis / 解放军医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Associated with high morbility and mortality, sepsis has been seriously threatening human's health. Epidemiological trend of sepsis indicated that the increase of prevalence rate of sepsis was partially related with the current innovations in medical care, especially the rapid increase in invasive techniques for caring patients suffering from critical illness. Because the pathogenesis of sepsis remains unclear, with a low specificity of the ESICM/SCCM consensus diagnostic criteria for sepsis, the diagnosis of 'severe sepsis' has attracted a great deal of attention of medical scientists due to its higher accordance with the septic pathophysiological process of this clinical syndrome. In addition, the lack of knowledge on diagnostic criteria and management guideline seriously impede clinical application of some valid interventions for severe sepsis, thus resulting in consistent high incidence and mortality of sepsis. Moreover, lack of knowledge for sepsis in the society and even among the healthcare providers is the serious barrier to sepsis prevention and management.