Habitual Glucosamine Use and Risk of Sepsis: A 16-Year Follow-Up Study

Area of Science:

• Nutritional immunology
• Sepsis research
• Pharmacovigilance

Background:

• Glucosamine is widely used for osteoarthritis and joint pain.
• Known anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of glucosamine.
• The association between glucosamine use and sepsis risk is not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between habitual glucosamine use and the risk of developing sepsis.
• To evaluate the impact of glucosamine on 28-day mortality in sepsis patients.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective cohort study utilizing prospectively collected data from the UK Biobank (437,133 participants).
• Habitual glucosamine use assessed via touchscreen questionnaires.
• Multivariable Cox proportional hazards models used to analyze associations with sepsis risk and mortality.

Main Results:

• Habitual glucosamine use was associated with a reduced risk of sepsis (HR, 0.87; 95% CI, 0.83-0.92).
• Glucosamine use was also linked to lower 28-day mortality following sepsis (HR, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.70-0.89).
• Mediation analysis indicated that inflammatory biomarkers partially explained these associations.

Conclusions:

• Habitual glucosamine use is associated with decreased risks of sepsis and post-sepsis mortality.
• The anti-sepsis effects of glucosamine may be partly mediated by its influence on inflammatory pathways.
• Further research into glucosamine's role in sepsis prevention and management is warranted.