Susceptibility to childhood sepsis, contemporary management, and future directions
Abstract
Sepsis disproportionally affects children across all health-care settings and is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in neonatal and paediatric age groups. As shown in the first paper in this Series, the age-specific incidence of sepsis is highest during the first years of life, before approaching adult incidence rates during adolescence. In the second paper in this Series, we focus on the unique susceptibility of paediatric patients to sepsis and how the underlying dysregulated host response relates to developmental aspects of children's immune system, genetic, perinatal, and environmental factors, and comorbidities and socioeconomic determinants of health, which often differ between children and adults. State-of-the-art clinical management of paediatric sepsis is organised around three treatment pillars-diagnosis, early resuscitation, and titration of advanced care-and we examine available treatment guidelines and the limitations of their supporting evidence. Serious evidence gaps remain in key areas of paediatric sepsis care, especially surrounding recognition, common interventions, and survivor support, and to this end we offer a research roadmap for the next decade that could accelerate targeted diagnostics and personalised use of immunomodulation. However, improving outcomes for children with sepsis relies fundamentally on systematic quality improvement in both recognition and treatment, which is the theme of the third paper in this Series. Digital health, as shown in the fourth and final paper of this Series, holds promising potential in breaking down the barriers that hinder progress in paediatric sepsis care and, ultimately, global child health.
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BibTeX
@article{carter2026susceptibility,
title = {{Susceptibility to childhood sepsis, contemporary management, and future directions}},
author = {Michael Carter and Enitan Carrol and Suchitra Ranjit and Rebeca Mozun and Niranjan Kissoon and R Scott Watson and Luregn Schlapbach},
journal = {The Lancet Child \& Adolescent Health},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1016/s2352-4642(24)00141-x},
url = {https://hal.science/hal-05795848v1},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Susceptibility to childhood sepsis, contemporary management, and future directions
AU - Michael Carter
AU - Enitan Carrol
AU - Suchitra Ranjit
AU - Rebeca Mozun
AU - Niranjan Kissoon
AU - R Scott Watson
AU - Luregn Schlapbach
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/12
JO - The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health
DO - 10.1016/s2352-4642(24)00141-x
UR - https://hal.science/hal-05795848v1
AB - Sepsis disproportionally affects children across all health-care settings and is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in neonatal and paediatric age groups. As shown in the first paper in this Series, the age-specific incidence of sepsis is highest during the first years of life, before approaching adult incidence rates during adolescence. In the second paper in this Series, we focus on the unique susceptibility of paediatric patients to sepsis and how the underlying dysregulated host response relates to developmental aspects of children's immune system, genetic, perinatal, and environmental factors, and comorbidities and socioeconomic determinants of health, which often differ between children and adults. State-of-the-art clinical management of paediatric sepsis is organised around three treatment pillars-diagnosis, early resuscitation, and titration of advanced care-and we examine available treatment guidelines and the limitations of their supporting evidence. Serious evidence gaps remain in key areas of paediatric sepsis care, especially surrounding recognition, common interventions, and survivor support, and to this end we offer a research roadmap for the next decade that could accelerate targeted diagnostics and personalised use of immunomodulation. However, improving outcomes for children with sepsis relies fundamentally on systematic quality improvement in both recognition and treatment, which is the theme of the third paper in this Series. Digital health, as shown in the fourth and final paper of this Series, holds promising potential in breaking down the barriers that hinder progress in paediatric sepsis care and, ultimately, global child health.
SN - 2352-4642
SN - 2352-4650
ER -