Can you please introduce yourself and tell us more about Sepsis Research FEAT and the story behind the organization?
I’m Colin Graham, Chief Operating Officer of Sepsis Research FEAT. Our charity was founded in 2013 by Craig Stobo after he lost his wife Dr Fiona Elizabeth Agnew and unborn daughter Isla to sepsis in August 2012.
Originally called FEAT, the Fiona Elizabeth Agnew Trust, the charity changed its name in 2019 to Sepsis Research FEAT. Our primary goals are to fund vital medical research into the understanding and treatment of sepsis and to raise awareness of sepsis among the public and medical professionals.
Sepsis Research FEAT’s mission is to save lives and improve outcomes for patients with sepsis by funding research and awareness. How are you doing and what is the end goal?
We are in our fourth year of a research partnership with the GenOMICC (Genetics of Mortality in Critical Care) study at the University of Edinburgh’s Roslin Institute. Led by Professor Kenneth Baillie, the world-leading GenOMICC project aims to find the genetic factors that determine critical illness outcomes. Researchers are expanding their understanding of sepsis and helping to develop improved treatments by examining DNA samples from patients in intensive care units (ICUs) across the UK. There are millions of DNA sequence differences between any two humans, any one of which could be important in determining the outcome of sepsis.
Finding important genes requires recruiting large numbers of patients. Researchers typically require thousands of patient samples to find genetic associations with disease. They need to recruit over a large area, and over a long period of time, to acquire the necessary DNA. Initial Sepsis Research FEAT funding helped create the infrastructure to collect and store the samples, and this has allowed the study to grow at pace.
GenOMICC has been able to collect and store more than 19,000 DNA samples from critically ill patients in ICUs in the UK and elsewhere, and is the largest study of its kind worldwide. The goal is to achieve 100,000 genomes of critical illnesses, with the ultimate goal of making genetic discoveries that provide unprecedented insight into the biology of critical illnesses, including sepsis, helping to identify new treatments and deliver better outcomes for patients with sepsis
Another key part of our work is raising awareness about sepsis so that people recognize the five key symptoms and know to seek urgent medical help if they suspect sepsis. The press and social media are very important in sending our awareness messages, and a key aim is to tell sepsis stories through the eyes of people affected by it. The power of sharing individual stories is undeniable when it comes to raising awareness about sepsis and its symptoms.
We are delighted to have been able to produce a new series of eight podcasts, which we are launching during Sepsis Awareness Month 2022. These new podcasts will tell the stories of those who have been directly affected by sepsis in a way fresh and attractive. By maximizing the audience we reach, we will educate more people, more powerfully, about sepsis, its symptoms and its impact.
Finally, this Sepsis Awareness Month we are launching a new national awareness campaign in partnership with the Scottish Government. Sepsis Research FEAT has previously worked with the Scottish Government on awareness campaigns in 2018 and 2019, reaching over 1.3 million people across Scotland. The latest partnership will build on this success with a nationwide multimedia campaign that will include commercial television, radio, print and social media.
Image credit: Kateryna Kon/Shutterstock
Sepsis is known as a silent killer, affecting almost 50 million people worldwide annually. Can you explain why the outcomes of sepsis can be so serious if not caught early?
Sepsis occurs when the body’s response to an infection quickly gets out of control. Instead of fighting the infection alone, the immune system begins to attack the entire body, potentially leading to multiple organ failure and death.
When dealing with suspected cases of sepsis, acting quickly and initiating early medical treatment can save lives and improve outcomes. However, recognizing and diagnosing sepsis is not always easy. Sepsis starts with an infection – for example, chest, skin, urine, meningitis – but, in the early stages, symptoms can be vague and difficult to recognize even for doctors and nurses.
Five key symptoms of sepsis that patients and the public should be aware of are:
- Very high or low temperature
- Uncontrollable shaking and/or sweating
- confusion
- Not urinating as much as usual
- Cold or red or blotchy arms and legs
If someone has any of these symptoms that get noticeably worse, this could indicate sepsis, especially if the person has underlying vulnerabilities due to age, disease, or impaired immune function.
As sepsis worsens, blood flow to vital organs such as the brain, heart, and kidneys is impaired.
This can increase the risk of organ failure and tissue death.
Septic shock is the final, most advanced form of sepsis and the most difficult to treat. In septic shock, a dramatic drop in blood pressure can severely affect organs and lead to long-term complications or death.
The key message from sepsis is to seek medical attention URGENT: prompt diagnosis and treatment will help save lives.
Image credit: Sepsis Research FEAT
Sepsis affects not only adults but also children. How common is childhood sepsis and how can adults spot these symptoms in children and babies?
There are around 25,000 cases of childhood sepsis each year in the UK. Infants and children may have vague and nonspecific symptoms of sepsis, which can make diagnosis difficult, and the signs and symptoms may be slightly different from those in adults. In children and infants, parents should monitor:
Rapid breathing or shortness of breath; cold, blotchy or pale skin; a very high or low temperature; skin or lips that look bluish; poor nutrition; vomiting or diarrhea; lethargy or difficulty waking up; little or no urine production; a rash that won’t go away.
Above all, parents should trust their instincts and seek urgent medical help if they are concerned about their child’s health.
Image credit: Sepsis Research FEAT
Sepsis Research FEAT funds sepsis research through a number of partners. Can you tell us about some promising developments discovered with this work?
At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the GenOMICC project was identified as an urgent public health priority study by the UK’s National Institute for Health Research. By targeting this new and emerging disease, the team was able to identify 23 genes associated with the most severe form of COVID-19. These findings helped to identify and repurpose drug treatments for patients with COVID, a very important advance for patient outcomes. The successful research on COVID-19 shows the promise of human genetics for understanding critical illness and is likely to be very important for the understanding and treatment of sepsis.
The Global Sepsis Alliance celebrates World Sepsis Day annually in September. Why do you think it is so important to raise awareness of sepsis and how world days like this help to achieve this goal?
Sepsis is indiscriminate. It can affect anyone, regardless of age, gender, background or health status. It seems unthinkable that in the year 2022 there will still be a condition that can kill a previously healthy adult or child in hours. This is why it is so important that everyone knows what sepsis is, can recognize the key symptoms and understand that it is a medical emergency that requires urgent treatment.
Sepsis Awareness Month each September and World Sepsis Day on 13 September provide an opportunity to highlight sepsis. We join organizations and individuals around the world to remember those who have lost their lives to sepsis and renew our commitment to be part of the global movement to help improve the diagnosis and treatment of patients with sepsis in the future
Image credit: Kateryna Kon/Shutterstock
What’s next for Sepsis Research FEAT? Do you have an exciting project?
We are pleased to announce increased investment to support a new pilot study, GenOMICC Acute, in which additional blood samples will be obtained from patients shortly after ICU admission, providing researchers with insight into what happens inside a patient’s body when they are most seriously ill. . It will provide a deeper understanding of patients’ genetics and their response to critical illnesses, and could ultimately lead to much more patient-specific treatments.
Where can readers find more information?
Visit our website www.sepsisresearch.org.uk and follow us on social media:
- Facebook: SepsisResearchFEAT
- Twitter: @stopsepsisnow
- Instagram: @sepsisresearch
- TikTok: sepsisresearchFEAT
About Colin Graham
Colin joined Sepsis Research FEAT in October 2018 as the charity’s first Chief Operating Officer. Colin is a veteran of the charity sector with 25 years experience. He is responsible for advising the board of directors, developing awareness of the charity, overseeing its fundraising and marketing strategy and developing strategic partnerships.