Risk factors for sepsis

Risk factors for sepsis

• people in the groups below are at higher risk of developing sepsis:
  • the very young (under 1 year) and older people (over 75 years) or
    
    
  • people who are very frail people who have impaired immune systems because of illness or
    
    
  • drugs, including:
    • people being treated for cancer with chemotherapy
    • people who have impaired immune function (for example, people with diabetes, people who have had a splenectomy, or people with sickle cell disease)
    • people taking long-term steroids
    • people taking immunosuppressant drugs to treat non-malignant disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis
      
      
  • people who have had surgery, or other invasive procedures, in the past 6 weeks
    
    
  • people with any breach of skin integrity (for example, cuts, burns, blisters or skin infections)
    
    
  • people who misuse drugs intravenously
    
    
  • people with indwelling lines or catheters
    
    
• women who are pregnant, have given birth or had a termination of pregnancy or miscarriage in the past 6 weeks are in a high risk group for sepsis. In particular, women who:
  
  
  • have impaired immune systems because of illness or drugs
    • drugs, including:
      • people being treated for cancer with chemotherapy
      • people who have impaired immune function (for example, people with diabetes, people who have had a splenectomy, or people with sickle cell disease)
      • people taking long-term steroids
      • people taking immunosuppressant drugs to treat non-malignant disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis
        
        
  • have gestational diabetes or diabetes or other comorbidities
    
    
  • needed invasive procedures (for example, caesarean section, forceps delivery, removal of retained products of conception)
    
    
  • had prolonged rupture of membranes have or have been in close contact with people with group A streptococcal infection, for example, scarlet fever
    
    
  • have continued vaginal bleeding or an offensive vaginal discharge
• risk factors for early-onset neonatal infection:
  
   
  • invasive group B streptococcal infection in a previous baby
    
    
  • maternal group B streptococcal colonisation, bacteriuria or infection in the current pregnancy
    
    
  • prelabour rupture of membranes
    
    
  • preterm birth following spontaneous labour (before 37 weeks' gestation)
    
    
  • suspected or confirmed rupture of membranes for more than 18 hours in a preterm birth
    
    
  • intrapartum fever higher than 38°C, or confirmed or suspected chorioamnionitis
    
    
  • parenteral antibiotic treatment given to the woman for confirmed or suspected invasive bacterial infection (such as septicaemia) at any time during labour, or in the 24-hour periods before and after the birth (this does not refer to intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis)
    
    
  • suspected or confirmed infection in another baby in the case of a multiple pregnancy

Reference:

• NICE (September 2017). Sepsis: recognition, diagnosis and early management