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The following is a summary of “Hospital readmission after surviving sepsis: A systematic review of readmission reasons and meta-analysis of readmission rates,” published in the February 2025 issue of Journal of Critical Care by Ackermann et al. 

Researchers conducted a retrospective study to examine hospital readmission diagnoses and analyze readmission rates after a sepsis admission.  

They searched 5 databases, grey literature, and selected article reference lists in May and June 2024. Studies that examined readmissions among individuals who survived sepsis and reported readmission diagnoses and rates were included. Meta-analyses were conducted to evaluate readmission rates.  

The results showed that 51 studies were included, with 46 out of 51 (90.2%) focusing on adult survivors. Among 18 of the 21 studies analyzing 3 or more readmission diagnoses in adults, infection or sepsis was the most common cause. Meta-analyses revealed that 4.7% (95% CI: 3.1–6.5%, PI: 0.3–13.4%, n = 11 studies) of adult survivors were readmitted with sepsis at 30 days, 8.1% (95% CI: 4.5–12.7%, PI: <0.1–29.0%, n = 7) at 90 days, and 16.4% (95% CI: 11.3–22.2%, PI: <0.1–96.3%, n = 3) at 1 year. At 30 days, 3.5% (95% CI: 2.2–5.0%, PI: 0.3–10.0%, n = 7) were readmitted with a cardiovascular disease diagnosis.  

Investigators concluded that infection and sepsis were frequent readmission diagnoses for survivors of sepsis, with 1 in 21 adult survivors readmitted for sepsis within 30 days. 

Source: sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S088394412400412X