Top ten research priorities for sepsis research

Why it matters

Sepsis kills over 45,000 people in the UK every year, costing the NHS around £1.1 billion, with additional costs to society of up to £10 billion. The high incidence along with high rates of associated illness and death make sepsis a global as well as a national health problem.

The Sepsis Research Priority Setting Partnership was set up in 2023 by Sepsis Research (FEAT) and the James Lind Alliance to identify key priorities for sepsis research in the UK. The partnership aimed to identify uncertainties and unanswered questions, to ensure that future research aligns with what really matters to people living with the condition, those who care for them and healthcare professionals.

Using a structured process which combined input from all sectors affected by sepsis, members of the public were asked two rounds of questions in two surveys. This process was followed by an in-person workshop where the top ten research priorities for sepsis were identified.   

Top ten research priorities:

1. How can the diagnosis of sepsis become faster, more accurate and reliable?
2. What are the long-term effects on the body from sepsis, and how are they best treated and managed?
3. What is the role of treatments other than antibiotics in the care and management of sepsis?
4. Can diagnostic tests be developed for sepsis that can be used wherever the person is receiving care?
5. Why and how do some people with sepsis become seriously ill very quickly?
6. Would specialist sepsis services improve outcomes for people with sepsis during hospital treatment and for follow-up care?
7. Are there ways to tailor treatment of sepsis to the individual?
8. How does an infection lead to sepsis?
9. Would treatment before admission to hospital (e.g. provided by General Practitioners or ambulance crews) improve outcomes for people with sepsis?
10. What are the safest and most effective ways to treat sepsis using antibiotics?