It’s not a good surprise.
A recent study reveals that over half of the individuals who experience sepsis, also known as blood poisoning, succumb to death within two years of their diagnosis. Researchers from Aarhus University Hospital in Denmark found that approximately 50% of patients admitted to the emergency room with sepsis did not survive past this two-year mark.
Finn Nielsen, a senior scientist specializing in clinical epidemiology, highlighted several factors that contribute to an increased risk of mortality following a sepsis diagnosis. These factors include advanced age, pre-existing medical conditions such as dementia, heart disease, and cancer, as well as a history of hospitalization for sepsis within the previous six months. The study emphasized that these conditions significantly elevated the risk of death over a median follow-up period of two years.
The researchers analyzed data from 714 patients who developed sepsis at Aarhus University Hospital between October 2017 and March 2018. By utilizing a sepsis database, they were able to gather precise and reliable information, minimizing errors associated with routine registry data. Of the patients studied, 361 had died within two years from various causes, not solely from sepsis.
The findings revealed that the risk of death from sepsis increases by 4% for each additional year of age. Individuals with a history of cancer were found to be more than twice as likely to die, while those with clogged arteries faced a 39% increased risk. Additionally, dementia was linked to a 90% greater risk of mortality, and patients who had experienced multiple bouts of sepsis within six months were 48% more likely to die.
Nielsen stressed the importance of recognizing sepsis as a serious medical condition with a high mortality rate, noting that larger, multi-center studies are needed to obtain a comprehensive understanding of sepsis-related outcomes. Presenting these findings at the European Society for Emergency Medicine’s annual meeting, Dr. Barbra Backus emphasized the need for clinicians to identify patients at higher risk for complications following sepsis, ensuring closer monitoring and follow-up care.
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