Q: What is sepsis? What is the number of severe sepsis cases/1000 population (or per 1000 hospital admissions)? What is the most common comorbidities associated with sepsis and is sepsis and septicaemia the same?

A:1) I can say with confidence that most major medical canters whether they be University hospitals or private hospitals will have ICUs. Please remember that there are medical, surgical, cardiac, neurologic and pediatric/neonatal ICUs which cater to very different kinds of patients. 2) In the United States the number of patients diagnosed with sepsis is 650,000 a year. Of these about 100,000 die each year. Of interest is the fact that there has been an 8% increase per year in the number of patients with sepsis between 1979 and 2000 with a corresponding decrease in in-hospital mortality from 28% to 18% - a testament to the improved care that patients receive. 3) The most common comorbidites in a Medical ICU are cancers, kidney, lung and liver diseases and AIDS 4. Yes sepsis and septicaemia are essentially the same although there are several grades of the sepsis syndrome.