Long-Term Outcomes in Sepsis Survivorship

Survivors of sepsis frequently endure a spectrum of chronic health challenges that extend well beyond hospital discharge. These long-term outcomes encompass physical, cognitive and psychological sequelae that cumulatively reduce quality of life and increase mortality risk. Physical impairments often manifest as persistent muscle weakness, chronic fatigue and organ dysfunction, while neurocognitive deficits may include memory loss and diminished executive function. Psychological distress, including anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder, is common and can interfere with rehabilitation efforts. Survivors also face elevated rates of rehospitalisation driven by infectious and non-infectious complications, along with substantial health-economic costs. Underlying these outcomes are sustained immune dysregulation and inflammatory and immunosuppressive phenotypes that may persist for months. Comprehensive post-discharge care pathways, early rehabilitation and targeted interventions to modulate mitochondrial function and immune recovery are emerging as critical components to improve long-term survival and functional integration into daily life.

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Long-Term Outcomes in Sepsis Survivorship publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in long-term outcomes in sepsis survivorship across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Sepsis: life-threatening organ dysfunction resulting from a dysregulated host response to infection.

Septic shock: a subset of sepsis with circulatory and metabolic abnormalities requiring vasopressor support and associated with higher mortality.

Sequelae: chronic or residual conditions that persist after the acute phase of an illness.

Rehospitalisation: unplanned hospital admission following initial discharge, often reflecting unresolved or new complications.

Immunosuppression: diminished immune function, leading to increased susceptibility to secondary infections.

Complete blood count: routine laboratory assay measuring cellular components of blood, including haemoglobin, white cell and platelet counts.

Rehabilitation: coordinated therapeutic activities aimed at restoring physical, cognitive and psychological function after acute illness.

References

1. Care pathways of sepsis survivors: sequelae, mortality and use of healthcare services in France, 2015–2018. Critical Care (2023).
2. Post-sepsis chronic muscle weakness can be prevented by pharmacological protection of mitochondria. Molecular Medicine (2024).
3. Blood count derangements after sepsis and association with post-hospital outcomes. Frontiers in Immunology (2023).
4. The chain of survival and rehabilitation for sepsis: concepts and proposals for healthcare trajectory optimization. Annals of Intensive Care (2024).
5. Long-term Host Immune Response Trajectories Among Hospitalized Patients With Sepsis. JAMA Network Open (2019).
6. Post-sepsis syndrome – an evolving entity that afflicts survivors of sepsis. Molecular Medicine (2019).