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Hospitalizations in England for life-threatening sepsis have more than doubled in three years.
There were increases in all age groups, including the very young, which prompted the head of the UK Sepsis Trust to warn parents that they should be as vigilant for sepsis as they are. for meningitis.
Sepsis is thought to kill 52,000 people a year in the UK. Ron Daniels, managing director of the UK Sepsis Trust, said the increase in antibiotic resistance in the population and the growing awareness of sepsis were factors taken into account in the figures.
"A decade or two ago, infections such as urinary tract infections would be controlled by simple antibiotics. This is not the case today, "said Daniels. "If the antibiotic does not start to control the infection, it may become more complicated – an ideal breeding ground for the onset of sepsis. A simple urinary tract infection can become a complex case in which the kidneys are also involved. "
The NHS Digital data obtained by the Press Association show that there were 350,344 hospitalizations recorded with first or second sepsis diagnosis in 2017/18, compared to 169,125 three years earlier. These included 38,401 admissions of children aged four and under, compared with 30,981 in 2015-2016.
There were 48,647 admissions of children and young people under 24 in 2017/18, up 32% from 36,847 in 2015/16.
"What this means is that parents must continue to be aware of meningitis, but probably more aware of sepsis because it affects many more children and can be just as deadly" Daniels said.
He added that the aging of the population also meant that more seniors were suffering from sepsis than before. Daniels said that "invasive health care" targeting very young or very old people with compromised immune systems could increase the risk of infection. Any infection that remained under-treated increased the risk of sepsis.
The Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM) stated that a sepsis monitoring tool for children was not used as often as it should and that the departments of The EA are struggling so that children suspected of having this disease are seen quickly enough and then examined by a senior doctor.
A CREM study found that while 92% of A & Es had a tool to badess the risk of sepsis in children, it was used on average only 38% of the time.
Lead author of the report, Francesca Cleugh, said that the tools used led to placing too many children with fever in a high-risk category, "which limits their systematic use in medical services." urgency because it leads to excessive investigations and overuse of resources. intravenous antibiotics, which contributes to antibiotic resistance. "
Parents who suspect septicemia are advised to consult A & E. Symptoms may include mottled, bluish or pale appearance, lethargy or difficulty waking up, abnormal cold sensation to touch, very fast breathing, seizure or a rash that does not fade.
Other warning signs in adults and children include low or high temperatures, breathing difficulties, grunting, and lack of interest in usual activities.
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