NEW data presented at IDWeek 2024, October 16-19, alerted doctors about the national trends and racial disparities in sepsis-related mortality rates (SRMR) in children between 1999 to 20219. Data on these racial differences is conflicting, and the study authors sought to better understand these trends in children.
The study analyzed over 20 years of data from the CDC WONDER database, focusing on SRMR in children aged 0-18. Over this time period, the overall SRMR decreased by nearly 30%, from 1.7 per 100,000 children in 1999 to 1.2 in 2019. There were, however, significant racial disparities in these rates. Non-Hispanic Black children were 2.7 times more likely to die from sepsis compared to their Non-Hispanic White children.
The research examined trends by age, gender, race, and geographic region, noting decreases in SRMR across all demographics. The steepest declines were seen in males, rural populations, and the Southern and Western U.S. regions. However, the racial disparity was considered persistent, and suggests differences in access to care, recognition, and prompt treatment of sepsis.
The findings emphasize the need for future studies that explore the underlying causes of disparity in mortality rates in children, according to the study authors.
Reference: Boasiako L et al. National Trends and Racial Disparities in Sepsis-Related Mortality in Children in the United States, 1999-2019. Abstract 384. IDWeek 2024, October 16-19, 2024.
Anaya Malik | AMJ
