BMJ  2007;335:879-883 (27 October), doi:10.1136/bmj.39346.495880.AE

Clinical Review

Sepsis: definition, epidemiology, and diagnosis

Andrew Lever, professor of infectious diseases and honorary consultant physician1, Iain Mackenzie, consultant in intensive care medicine and anaesthesia2

1 Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, 2 John Farman Intensive Care Unit, Box 17, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge CB2 2QQ

Correspondence to: I Mackenzie  iain@number2.demon.co.uk

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

On 29 March 2005 a 41 year old journalist died of sepsis six days after a minor surgical procedure; she had consulted eight doctors over the intervening Easter bank holiday weekend. Whereas the national press focused on the political question relating to the provision of out of hours medical services in the United Kingdom, the coroner pointed out that "non-recognition of the seriousness of her condition contributed [to her death]." With an estimated annual mortality of between 30 and 50 deaths per 100 000 population,1 2 this condition ranks in the top 10 causes of death,3 affects all ages, and occurs in the community, in long term care facilities, and among patients admitted to hospital under the care of any, and every, medical specialty.


Sepsis encompasses a spectrum of illness that ranges from minor signs and symptoms through to organ dysfunction and shock
Sepsis ranks in the top 10 causes of . . . [Full text of this article]


Cell counts
Leucocyte surface markers
Other properties
Monocyte/macrophage
Leucocyte products
Endothelial cell products
Other cell products

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