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Severe sepsis epidemiology: sampling, selection, and society.
Walter T Linde-Zwirble1, Derek C Angus
1The CRISMA Laboratory (Clinical Research, Investigation, and Systems Modeling of Acute Illness), University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA. wlindezwirble@hpmdata.com <wlindezwirble@hpmdata.com>
Critical Care (London, England)
|August 18, 2004
Summary
Severe sepsis affects approximately 10% of ICU patients, with a population incidence of 1 per 1000. Current studies likely reflect treated incidence, influenced by intensive care unit (ICU) service availability.
Area of Science:
- Critical Care Medicine
- Epidemiology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Recent publications in Critical Care expand the understanding of severe sepsis epidemiology.
- Estimating severe sepsis incidence involves various methodologies, with most studies reporting approximately 10% of ICU patients affected.
Discussion:
- Population incidence of severe sepsis is estimated at 1 +/- 0.5 cases per 1000.
- The number of treated severe sepsis cases appears correlated with the availability of intensive care unit (ICU) services.
- Existing research likely reports the treated incidence of severe sepsis, not the overall population incidence.
Key Insights:
- Severe sepsis impacts roughly 10% of intensive care unit (ICU) patients.
- Population incidence is around 1 case per 1000.
- ICU service availability influences reported severe sepsis case numbers.
Outlook:
- Future research should address optimal treatment strategies for severe sepsis.
- Determining the ideal level of ICU services for severe sepsis management is crucial.