United Against Sepsis
A new set of guidelines for treating sepsis and septic shock in adults and children have been released by the Surviving Sepsis Campaign (an initiative of ESICM, the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine, and SCCM, the Society of Critical Care Medicine). Patients were invited to participate in the development of these brandnew guidelines. Discover the new guidelines here:
The 2026 Surviving Sepsis Campaign Guidelines have just been released
Adult guidelines
The 129-statement adult guidelines build on the 2021 SSC edition, reinforcing early recognition, timely infection treatment, and hemodynamic resuscitation while adding 46 new statements. Notable additions address antibiotic optimisation, blood pressure targets in older adults, fluid removal after resuscitation, and continuity of care post-discharge—including psychological and physical rehabilitation. Published in Intensive Care Medicine and Critical Care Medicine, they are endorsed by 24 professional societies.
Paediatric guidelines
The paediatric guidelines, updated in 2020, reflect a significant increase in high-quality evidence and adopt a new data-driven definition of paediatric sepsis. Among 20 new topics addressed is a conditional recommendation for point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) to guide resuscitation. The guidelines also now cover post-sepsis morbidity risk and long-term follow-up—critical given that 30–40% of children surviving ICU-level sepsis treatment may face lasting health issues. Published in Intensive Care Medicine and Pediatric Critical Care Medicine, they are endorsed by 14 organisations.