The Girona Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBGI) has awarded the first Prize for Research in Sepsis and Infectious Diseases of the Girona Health Region. The winning paper was an article published in the prestigious scientific journal Critical Care, first authored by Carolina Lorencio, a researcher at IDIBGI and at the same time a doctor in the Intensive Care Unit of the Dr. Josep Trueta Hospital in Girona and the Santa Caterina Hospital in Salt.
Sepsis is one of the most important health problems in the world, as it is responsible for 6% of hospital admissions and causes more than 50% of in-hospital deaths. This study has analysed data from hospital discharge records of the Minimum Basic Data Set (CMBD) for 15 years in Catalonia. Specifically, the period analysed covers the years 2005 to 2019 and includes a total of 296,554 patients admitted for sepsis. The results show that the incidence of sepsis has been increasing progressively over this period, while the associated in-hospital mortality has been decreasing.
This is the first epidemiological study on the incidence of sepsis in Catalonia. The results can be used to define groups of patients according to their risk and prognosis, which will be useful in guiding and personalising the treatments they will receive. The work also opens the door for researchers to new lines of research, such as the one currently being carried out by Lorencio, which consists of analysing the survival of people who have been admitted to the ICU two years after being discharged.
This is the first edition of the award, promoted by the research group on Infections, sepsis and multi-organ dysfunction in the critically ill patient, led by Dr. Josep Maria Sirvent, whose aim is to promote research in this field, and which is open to any research work carried out in the Girona Health Region. One of the aspects that has been valued is that the work contributes to the achievement of a doctoral thesis.
This publication has been carried out within the framework of a research project financed with funds from La Marató de TV3 and Catalunya Ràdio, in the 2017 Infectious Diseases edition, and has been carried out by the SOMIC/SOCMUE Sepsis and Septic Shock working group (formed by different researchers from Hospital de Mataró, IDIBELL, CatSalut, Hospital Juan XXIII de Tarragona, Hospital Vall d'Hebron de Barcelona, Hospital Mutua de Terrassa and Hospital Universitari Sant Joan de Déu).
The Marató project linked to this line of research is "Sepsis Training, Analysis and Feedback (STAF) strategy for the implementation of Sepsis Code" (Id Num: 201836_10).
About IDIBGI
IDIBGI is a biomedical research institute that is part of the CERCA system of the Catalan Government, dedicated to translational, clinical and epidemiological research aimed at improving health and care of people. The Institute is made up of 22 research groups that conduct research in six health areas: cardiovascular and respiratory, oncohematology, metabolism and inflammation, neurosciences, mental health and medical imaging. Currently, in addition to having its own research staff, the IDIBGI manages the research carried out by health professionals from the Dr. Josep Trueta and Santa Caterina Hospitals, the Catalan Institute of Oncology (ICO) in Girona, and the Institute of Diagnostic Imaging (IDI).
Prize-winning article: Lorencio Cárdenas, C., Yébenes, J.C., Vela, E. et al. Trends in mortality in septic patients according to the different organ failure during 15 years. Crit Care 26, 302 (2022).
