Flu SeasonWhy are Dr. Kellum and Seto so looking forward to the flu season, in order to ramp up enrollment?
Sepsis ranks among the top 10 causes of death in the United States, with an estimated 750 000 cases per year and 215 000 fatalities [1]. Sepsis is mainly due to secondary bacterial infections (52% Gram-positive, 38% Gram-negative bacteria) or fungal infections (approximately 5% of sepsis cases) [2. ]. The lungs represent the most common site of infection during sepsis (Fig. 1), and these organs are the most likely to fail [1,3]. Given the high frequency of respiratory infections precluding the development of sepsis, it is striking that influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) outbreaks are often associated with a heightened incidence of subsequent bacterial infection [4–8]. Moreover, the clinical symptoms associated with bacterial superinfection in the context of an ongoing viral infection are more severe and prolonged than with either single infection alone....
In vulnerable populations, the unfortunate combination of viral and bacterial infection often results in sepsis, a major cause of death worldwide. Approximately half of sepsis cases initially involve respiratory infection and these viral infections can predispose a patient to subsequent protracted bacterial infection....
https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.1075.5048&rep=rep1&type=pdf
So, the Flu season tends to correlate with more bacterial infections leading to endotoxemia. And experts predict a large resurgence in the Flu this fall (in NA) just as has happened in teh souther hemisphere (e.g Australia)
In many cases, Sepsis can result as a result of the bodies poor immune response in relation to other more serious diseases such as cancer, end stage Kidney desease, Covid, etc.
The probelm with recruiting these latter Sepsis candidates is that they can die of other causes, and taint the results. Not a good thing when you are running a 28-day mortality study. Most people survive the flu (even if they develop Severe Sepsis, as long as they receive PMX ;)
MM