What is Post-Sepsis Syndrome?
Sepsis is a fast-moving illness, stimulated by the body's response to infection, with a mortality rate of approximately 30%. For the lucky survivors, recovery is not a simple process and some will be left with post-sepsis syndrome.
What is sepsis?
Sepsis can develop when the body over-responds to an infection, such as a chest infection, urinary infection or an abdominal problem. The overwhelming response of the body can cause blood vessels to leak, leading to a lowering blood pressure and a reduced blood supply to the body's organs. This in turn can cause organ failure and death.
Patients suffering with sepsis can require urgent, long-term, high-level support of the body's fundamental life-sustaining systems in intensive care units for extensive periods. It can be a traumatic experience.
Post-sepsis syndrome
The ravages of sepsis on the body, in combination with the impact of an extended stay in intensive care undergoing treatment, can leave some survivors with on-going physical, cognitive and psychological problems.
Physical symptoms can include tiredness, weakness, pain, insomnia, poor concentration, repeat infections and reduced kidney function.
Psychological symptoms can include memory loss, anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.
It is thought that up to 50% of sepsis sufferers may be left with post-sepsis syndrome after their initial experience.
Early diagnosis of sepsis
Research has suggested that patients who have needed a longer stay in hospital or whose experience of sepsis has been more traumatic, are more likely to develop post-sepsis syndrome.
It would seem, therefore, that the sooner the illness is diagnosed, and the sooner treatment is initiated, the less likely it is that the patient will develop on-going problems. However, pre-existing circumstances, such as the age of the patient and underlying infection, will also influence the extent of the impact of the illness.
Diagnosis of sepsis
Recent developments in the management and diagnosis of sepsis have tried to reduce the diagnosis time and clarify at an early stage which patients are likely to be suffering from a severe infection.
A change of 2 points or more on the patient's SOFA score can be an indication that the patient has sepsis. This assessment requires an analysis of respiratory, circulatory, renal, nervous system and liver function.
A simpler indication of severe infection (qSOFA) requires just an assessment of the patient's breathing rate, blood pressure and mental state.
This should mean a faster identification of a patient who might be suffering with or developing sepsis.
Medical Negligence
If signs of a severe infection are not recognised by medical practitioners, meaning that treatment of sepsis is delayed, the patient is likely to have a poorer outcome. In this scenario, the patient may have received poor quality medical care and be entitled to pursue a claim for compensation.
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