Would you spot the signs of sepsis?
Until recently sepsis wasn’t on the radar for most of us. But as JO WATERS explains, knowing the symptoms and getting early treatment if you spot them could make all the difference
SOMETHING as trivial as a minor cut or sore throat, or as common as a surgery wound, chest infection, stomach bug or urinary tract infection (UTI) can develop into life-threatening sepsis – and it’s a growing problem in the UK.
“Sepsis isn’t one disease, but the result of your body’s immune system going into overdrive in response to an infection or injury,” says Dr Ron Daniels, a consultant in critical care at Good Hope Hospital NHS Trust and chief executive of the UK Sepsis Trust.
“Normally our immune system fights off infection, but sometimes it starts attacking the body’s own tissues and organs, resulting in organ failure and death.”
Around 250,000 people in the UK develop sepsis every year, and it accounts for more than one in four intensive care admissions.Yet the symptoms aren’t as well recognised as those of a heart attack or meningitis.
TV presenter Fern Britton, 61, is one high-profile celebrity who developed sepsis – in her case, as the result of an abscess following a hysterectomy to remove fibroids in 2016. She suffered nausea, shivering, muscle and joint pain and pneumonia.
“There‘s been an eight to 13 per cent increase per year over the past 10 years.
“Although part of this is down to greater awareness and a growing and ageing population, that doesn’t fully explain it,” says Dr Daniels. “Although it’s not yet proven, we believe it’s entirely plausible that the increase is at least partly fuelled by the growing problem of antibiotic resistance. ”
THIS is why it is so vital that people recognise the signs (see right) so they can be treated with the right type of antibiotics as early as possible.”
On the positive side, survival rates are also improving thanks to greater awareness of the symptoms among health professionals.
“In the past 10 years, the survival rate for sepsis has increased from 70 to 80 per cent,” confirms Dr Daniels. Part of this is down to greater awareness among the public, too.A survey of 2,800 people by the UK Sepsis Trust found the awareness of sepsis had increased from 13.2 per cent in 2012 to 58.4 per cent in 2017.
“We estimate that around 9,000 lives a year have been saved as a result of greater awareness, and the UK is now the most advanced country in the world when it comes to awareness of sepsis symptoms,” says DR Daniels. “There have also been improvements in treatment, including faster diagnostic tests that can identify harmful bacterial strains within six hours. Previously, this could take up to 72 hours.”
After being admitted to hospital, patients are usually given three treatments and three tests, collectively known as the sepsis six.
The first three are antibiotics, intravenous fluids and oxygen, if levels are found to be low. Blood cultures will then be taken to identify the bacteria causing the sepsis, a blood sample will be taken to assess the severity of the sepsis
and the patient’s urine output will be monitored to help assess the severity of the sepsis and the level of kidney function.
“Antibiotics designed to work against a wide range of bacteria are given first,” explains Dr Daniels. “Once a strain is identified, a more targeted antibiotic can be given.”
Dr Daniels hopes the symptoms of sepsis will become as universally recognised as those of heart attack or stroke. “The earlier symptoms are recognised, the greater the chances of survival.”
●●Go to sepsistrust.org for more information.
●●This feature is from February’s issue of Healthy Food Guide (in supermarkets and WHSmith). Go to healthyfood.co.uk for subscriptions.