Abstract
Sepsis, or dysregulated host response to infection, is considered a worldwide public
health problem. It is a major childhood disease both in terms of frequency and severity,
and severe sepsis is still considered the main cause of death from infection in childhood.
This review provides an overview of the epidemiology of pediatric septic shock. The
prevalence of severe sepsis and septic shock among hospitalized children ranges from
1 to 26%. Mortality is high, ranging from 5% in developed countries to up to 35% in
developing countries. However, 10 years after the publication of pediatric sepsis
definitions, a global perspective on the burden of this disease in childhood is still
missing. Major obstacles to a better knowledge of sepsis epidemiology in children
are the absence of an adequate disease definition and not having sepsis as a cause
of death in the World Health Organization Global Burden of Disease Report, which is
one of the most important sources of information for health policies decision-making
in the world. Several studies performed in both developed and developing countries
have shown that mortality from septic shock is high and is associated with delayed
diagnosis, late treatment, and nonadherence to the treatment guidelines. Reducing
mortality from sepsis in childhood is a worldwide challenge, especially in developing
countries, where the highest number of cases and deaths are recorded and where financial
resources are scarce. Many specialists consider that prevention, education, and organization
are key to achieve a reduction in the burden of sepsis.
Keywords
severe sepsis - septic shock - prevalence - incidence - outcome - mortality - epidemiology
- pediatrics
