Researchers say patients with existing health problems are at higher risk of developing sepsis

• High exposure to antibiotics or learning disabilities also increase the risk
• University of Manchester team leads latest research into the disease

Being poor or having a pre-existing health condition increases the risk of sepsis, researchers said yesterday.

A history of extensive antibiotic exposure or a learning disability can also increase an individual’s risk.

Sepsis is a life-threatening disease in which the body overreacts to an infection and begins attacking its own tissues and organs.

The latest study, led by a team from the University of Manchester, examined NHS data on 224,000 sepsis cases in England between January 2019 and June 2022.

The study found that people from the most deprived communities were 80% more likely to develop sepsis than those from the wealthiest areas. The risk is again much higher for people with learning disabilities.

The same is true for patients with chronic liver disease and chronic kidney disease. Higher risks of cancer, diabetes, smoking and weight problems.

Co-author Professor Tjeerd van Staa said: “This study highlights the urgent need for sepsis risk prediction models to take into account chronic disease states, deprivation states, learning disabilities, and infection severity. There is an urgent need to improve sepsis prevention, including Target antimicrobials more precisely to high-risk patients.

Dr Colin Brown, co-author of the study and head of sepsis at HSE, said: “Tackling inequalities is a core part of our public health approach and a deeper understanding of who affects serious bacterial infections will help We best implement interventions to address these problems.” ‘

The Manchester study was published in the journal eClinicalMedicine.

The Daily Mail has been working towards better diagnosis and treatment of c. The UK Sepsis Trust says the disease affects 245,000 patients every year and claims 48,000 lives.

In adults, sepsis may initially feel like the flu, gastroenteritis, or a chest infection. Early symptoms include fever, chills and shakes, rapid heartbeat and shortness of breath.