Editing Sepsis (section)

== Epidemiology ==
Sepsis causes millions of deaths globally each year and is the most common cause of death in people who have been hospitalized.<ref name="Deutschman2014"/><ref name=Campaign2008 /> The [[Incidence (epidemiology)|number of new cases]] worldwide of sepsis is estimated to be 18 million cases per year.<ref name="Lyle2014"/> In the [[United States]] sepsis affects approximately 3 in 1,000 people,<ref name=Soong2012 /> and severe sepsis contributes to more than 200,000 deaths per year.<ref name=Munford2011/>

Sepsis occurs in 1–2% of all hospitalizations and accounts for as much as 25% of ICU bed utilization. Due to it rarely being reported as a primary diagnosis (often being a complication of cancer or other illness), the incidence, mortality, and morbidity rates of sepsis are likely underestimated.<ref name=Critical2005 /> A study of [[U.S. state]]s found approximately 651 hospital stays per 100,000 population with a sepsis diagnosis in 2010.<ref name="hcup-us.ahrq.gov"/> It is the second-leading cause of death in non-coronary [[intensive care unit]] (ICU) and the tenth-most-common cause of death overall (the first being heart disease).<ref name=Martin2003/> Children under 12 months of age and elderly people have the highest incidence of severe sepsis.<ref name=Critical2005 /> Among people from the U.S. who had multiple sepsis hospital admissions in 2010, those who were discharged to a skilled nursing facility or long-term care following the initial hospitalization were more likely to be readmitted than those discharged to another form of care.<ref name="hcup-us.ahrq.gov" /> A study of 18 U.S. states found that amongst people with [[Medicare (United States)|Medicare]] in 2011, sepsis was the second most common principal reason for readmission within 30 days.<ref name=Hines2014/>

Several medical conditions increase a person's susceptibility to infection and developing sepsis. Common sepsis risk factors include age (especially the very young and old); conditions that weaken the immune system such as [[cancer]], [[diabetes mellitus|diabetes]], or the [[asplenia|absence of a spleen]]; and [[major trauma]] and [[burn]]s.<ref name="CDC2014Q"/><ref name="Koh2012"/><ref name="Rubin2014"/>

From 1979 to 2000, data from the United States National Hospital Discharge Survey showed that the incidence of sepsis increased fourfold, to 240 cases per 100,000 population, with a higher incidence in men when compared to women. However, the global prevalence of sepsis has been estimated to be higher in women.<ref name=":0" /> During the same time frame, the in-hospital case fatality rate was reduced from 28% to 18%. However, according to the nationwide inpatient sample from the United States, the incidence of severe sepsis increased from 200 per 10,000 population in 2003 to 300 cases in 2007 for a population aged more than 18 years. The incidence rate is particularly high among infants, with an incidence of 500 cases per 100,000 population. Mortality related to sepsis increases with age, from less than 10% in the age group of 3 to 5 years to 60% by sixth decade of life.<ref name= "Mandell2014"/> The increase in the average age of the population, alongside the presence of more people with chronic diseases or on [[immunosuppressive drug|immunosuppressive medications]], and also the increase in the number of invasive procedures being performed, has led to an increased rate of sepsis.<ref name="Polat"/>