I have probably mentioned before that I nearly died from an attack of sepsis a few years ago. Spent two weeks in intensive care and even when out of that took some time to recover from intensive care neuropathy. Sepsis is an extremely dangerous condition which probably kills more people than common cancers.
To try and improve diagnosis (early diagnosis and treatment is extremely important) NICE has recently published new guidelines to assist healthcare professionals. But it is worth reading for anyone who looks after the young or elderly, or those with reduced immune systems. See https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/NG51
Edison have now today published a report on a company named VolitionRX who are working on diagnostic tools for sepsis – see https://www.edisongroup.com/research/snaring-sepsis-with-early-nets-detection/33224/ . They say “Globally, it is estimated that c 50 million people develop sepsis each year (42% of which are children under five years of age), the condition is associated with a c 20–25% mortality rate and survivors are typically left with one or more long-term consequences. In the US, it is estimated that approximately 1.7 million adults develop sepsis annually, corresponding to c 350,000 deaths”. The report provides a good overview of the market for sepsis diagnostics and the need for better tools.
Roger Lawson (Twitter: https://twitter.com/RogerWLawson )
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Thank you for this, Roger.
Two friends have died from Sepsis. This is despite them getting diagnosed quickly. However treatment options are limited, especially when the illness progresses rapidly.
Hopefully, as Public awareness of the recondition rises, there will be the incentive for doctors and Big Pharma (and I shudder when I type that two words) to find quicker diagnostics and better and more effective treatments.
I think the problem with treatment is that it is often diagnosed as a minor infection or other symptom and hence does not get the rapid escalation to major hospitals like Kings College Hospital who have the knowledge to treat it.