Sepsis is a medical emergency that describes the body’s systemic immunological response to an infectious process that can lead to end-stage organ dysfunction and death. Despite significant advancements in the understanding of the pathophysiology of this clinical syndrome, advancements in hemodynamic monitoring tools, and resuscitation measures, sepsis remains one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality in critically ill patients.1 The annual incidence of severe sepsis and septic shock in the United States is up to 300 cases per 100,000 people. Sepsis is also the most expensive healthcare problem in the United States, accounting for more than $20 million (about 5.2% of the total hospital cost) in 2011 alone.2
The global epidemiological burden of sepsis is, however, difficult to ascertain. It is estimated that more than 30 million people are affected by sepsis every year worldwide, resulting in potentially 6 million deaths annually. Mortality rates from sepsis, as per the data from the Surviving Sepsis Campaign 2012, were approximately 41% in Europe versus approximately 28.3% in the United States.3 This difference however disappeared when adjusted for disease severity.3 This implies that the mortality in sepsis varies according to patient characteristics as well