Guidelines Released for Management of Sepsis in Adults, Children

WEDNESDAY, April 1, 2026 (HealthDay News) -- International guidelines are presented for the treatment of adults and children with sepsis and septic shock in two special articles from the Surviving Sepsis Campaign, published online March 23 in Critical Care Medicine and Pediatric Critical Care Medicine.Hallie C. Prescott, M.D., from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, and colleagues developed guidelines for treating adults with sepsis. The adult guidelines include 46 new recommendations, with updated recommendations and more detail and clarity. The new recommendations relate to early identification and management of sepsis, including appropriate care during transport to the hospital; optimization of antibiotic therapy and avoiding unnecessary anti-anaerobic agents, while ensuring coverage is timely and adequate; maintaining optimal blood pressure levels during treatment; and initiating active fluid removal after the initial resuscitation phase to prevent fluid overload. In addition, 129 statements are included covering screening, management, goals of care, transitions of care, and long-term outcomes.Scott L. Weiss, M.D., from Nemours Children's Hospital in Wilmington, Delaware, and colleagues updated evidence-based management recommendations for clinicians caring for children with sepsis or septic shock. A total of 61 statements were provided on the management of children with sepsis or septic shock. Of these, five, 24, and 10 were strong recommendations, conditional recommendations, and good practice statements, respectively. Strong recommendations include that hospitals should implement a performance improvement program, including standard operating procedures for treatment, and that antimicrobial therapy should be started as soon as possible, ideally within one hour of recognition of sepsis among children with suspected septic shock."Being aware of long-term problems and understanding the risk factors allows clinicians to better counsel families and connect them with the services their children need to support the fullest possible recovery," Weiss said in a statement.Several authors disclosed ties to the biopharmaceutical and medical device industries.Abstract/Full Text - Guidelines: AdultsAbstract/Full Text - Guidelines: Children

Guidelines Released for Management of Sepsis in Adults, Children

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