Researchers from Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago and a multicenter team of experts have determined more accurate national estimates of non-neonatal pediatric sepsis using electronic health records. The study, published in JAMA, found that sepsis occurred in 1.3% of pediatric hospitalizations with a 10% mortality rate, corresponding to more than 18,000 U.S. cases and more than 1,800 deaths annually. Significantly, neither pediatric sepsis incidence nor mortality changed significantly from 2016 to 2022.
Early Recognition Critical
Researchers analyzed over 3.9 million hospitalizations and found that 72% of sepsis cases began before the child was hospitalized, underscoring that sepsis can happen in an otherwise healthy child. According to L. Nelson Sanchez-Pinto, a Critical Care physician at Lurie Children’s, “The bulk of the problem is recognition of sepsis.” He encouraged parents to learn the signs and symptoms of pediatric sepsis and, if suspected, bring their child to the hospital immediately so treatment can begin as soon as possible.
Warning Signs
The Sepsis Alliance provides a simple mnemonic guideline, called It’s About TIME, which describes a combination of symptoms that call for immediate medical attention: T represents temperature higher or lower than normal; I represents infection signs or symptoms; M represents mental decline, confusion, sleepiness, or difficulty being roused; and E represents being extremely ill with severe pain, discomfort, or shortness of breath.
Elizabeth Alpern, Division Head of Emergency Medicine at Lurie Children’s, emphasized that “Early recognition and treatment of sepsis can save lives.” Researchers and physicians stressed the importance of learning from centers that achieve better outcomes and implementing those practices nationally to reduce the persistent mortality burden.
This article is an AI-assisted summary. All facts and figures are drawn from the original report: https://www.newswise.com/articles/new-u-s-estimates-of-sepsis-in-kids-point-to-urgent-need-to-reduce-high-mortality-rates/?sc=rsla