Sepsis in 2024: a review

Sepsis is responsible for tremendous morbidity, mortality, and healthcare expenditure worldwide. Over the past decade, the conceptualization of sepsis has shifted from one based upon an inflammatory response to one defined by a dysregulated immune response to infection and resulting organ dysfunction. The definitions of sepsis and septic shock were revised to improve their diagnostic specificity and facilitate accurate and timely diagnoses at the bedside. The core of sepsis management remains early identification and diagnostic testing, early antimicrobial therapy, and early haemodynamic resuscitation. Recently, there has been additional movement towards classifying and treating sepsis based on genotype, phenotype, and endotype, though these methods are not yet widely accessible or adopted. Current guidelines recommend that the first steps in treatment and resuscitation take place within 1 hour from when septic shock is suspected. Additional essential elements in the current sepsis management guidelines include using dynamic parameters to assess fluid responsiveness, a conservative fluid strategy following initial resuscitation (with subsequent de-resuscitation when possible), serial reassessments of haemodynamic status, and adaptable treatment plans. This review provides a summary of the most recent clinical trials and practice guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of sepsis in the critical care setting.