Over 20 years committed to improving sepsis outcome

Sepsis and septic shock are leading causes of death worldwide. The international Surviving Sepsis Campaign (SSC) is a joint initiative of the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine (ESICM) and the Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM). 

The SSC is led by multidisciplinary international experts committed to improving the time to recognition and treatment of sepsis and septic shock.

Initiated in 2002 at the ESICM’s annual meeting with the Barcelona Declaration, the campaign progressed has several aims, including the development of guidelines for diagnosis, treatment and post-ICU care of sepsis and a reduction of mortality from sepsis.

Guideline Updates

The updated adult sepsis guidelines represent input from a diverse panel of 60 experts and a survey of more than 800 intensivists from more than 30 countries. The guidelines recommend involving patients and their families in goals-of-care discussions to treat the long-term effects of sepsis.

Guidelines Access

The Surviving Sepsis Campaign (SSC) has updated the previously released Guidelines on the Management of Critically Ill Adults with Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).

The panel issued nine statements related to ICU patients with severe or critical COVID-19. Several of the original recommendations remain current.

Guidelines Access

  • Concise Recommendations Tables: First Update – Coronavirus Guidelines Recommendations Table
  • Infographic 1 | Infographic 2 | Infographic 3 | Video

Access the original guidelines, published in June 2020, here.

This guideline is updated regularly as new evidence becomes available.

The guidelines were developed to help improve care for children from birth to age 18.

While the condition is more common in adults, 1.2 million children develop sepsis globally every year.

Sepsis can be overlooked in children because low blood pressure (a sign of septic shock) may not occur until very late in the illness.

For this reason, the guidelines recommend each institution implement screening and protocols to facilitate timely recognition and treatment for children with sepsis and septic shock.

Read more.

ESICM has released The Surviving Sepsis Campaign Bundle: 2018 update (Free Access) in our official journal Intensive Care Medicine.

Additionally, we have prepared a short animation video to highlight the five steps of the Hour-1 Bundle that healthcare providers are recommended to begin as soon as sepsis is recognised.

More information and the video are available here.

Additional Resources

Free live webinars are available for members & non-members on the ESICM Media Library.

Coopersmith, C.M., De Backer, D., Deutschman, C.S. et al. Surviving Sepsis Campaign: Research priorities for sepsis and septic shockIntensive Care Med (2018) https://doi.org/10.1007/s00134-018-5175-z

Urayeneza, O., Mujyarugamba, P., Rukemba, Z. et al. Increasing evidence-based interventions in patients with acute infections in a resource-limited setting: a before-and-after feasibility trial in Gitwe, Rwanda. Intensive Care Med (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00134-018-5266-x

Levy, M.M., Evans, L.E. & Rhodes, A.The Surviving Sepsis Campaign Bundle: 2018 update Intensive Care Med (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00134-018-5085-0

Ben Andrews, Matthew W. Semler, Levy Muchemwa, et al. Effect of an Early Resuscitation Protocol on In-hospital Mortality Among Adults With Sepsis and Hypotension Randomised Clinical Trial. JAMA. 2017;318(13):1233-1240. doi:10.1001/jama.2017.10913

Bloos F, Rüddel H, Thomas-Rüddel D, et al (2017) Effect of a multifaceted educational intervention for anti-infectious measures on sepsis mortality: a cluster randomised trial. Intensive Care Med 43:1602–1612. doi: 10.1007/s00134-017-4782-4

Surviving Sepsis Campaign: International Guidelines for Management of Sepsis and Septic Shock: 2016 Intensive Care Medicine – Jan 2017

Singer M, Deutschman CS, Seymour CW, et al: The Sepsis Definitions Task Force The Third International Consensus Definitions for Sepsis and Septic Shock (Sepsis-3). (JAMA, February 23, 2016, Vol 315, No. 8).

Shankar-Hari M, Phillips G, Levy ML, et al. Assessment of definition and clinical criteria for septic shock: For the Third International Consensus Definitions for Sepsis and Septic Shock (Sepsis-3). (JAMA, February 23, 2016, Vol 315, No. 8).

Seymour CW, Liu V, Iwashyna TJ, et al. Assessment of clinical criteria for sepsis: For the Third International Consensus Definitions for Sepsis and Septic Shock (Sepsis-3). (JAMA, February 23, 2016, Vol 315, No. 8).

Fungal Sepsis Training Programme

Format: Virtual

The incidence of invasive fungal infections has increased steadily over the past decade due to increased numbers of immunocompromised and ICU patients. They represent a matter of concern in ICUs as they can produce infections that range from non-life-threatening superficial disorders to severe invasive diseases involving any organ.

To improve the outcomes of patients with fungal infections, intensivists need to be aware of the inherent challenges.

Sepsis and Severe Infections e-Master Class

Format: Virtual
Dates: 22-23 February 2024

This 2-day e-master class blends techniques that encourage maximum learning. Special attention is given to interactive activities, case-based discussions, workshops and problem-oriented approaches.