Current epidemiology of sepsis in mainland China

The disease burden of sepsis is a global issue. Most of the large-scale epidemiological investigations on sepsis have been carried out in developed countries. The population of 1.3 billion in mainland China accounts for approximately 1/5th of the whole world population. Thus, the knowledge of the incidence and mortality of sepsis in mainland China is vital before employing measures for its improvement. However, most of the epidemiological data of sepsis in mainland China was obtained from ICU settings, and thus lacks the population-based incidence and mortality of sepsis. In the present review, we summarized the limited literature encompassing the incidence, mortality, long-term outcome, and pathogens of sepsis in mainland China. Therefore, it might provide some valuable information regarding the sepsis disease burden and current issues in the management of sepsis in mainland China.