Sepsis happens when the body's response to infection spirals out of control, damaging organs and sometimes leading to death. It kills about 270,000 people in the U.S. each year. Treatment centers on early antibiotics, fluids, and organ support in intensive care, but survivors often face long-term problems with thinking, mood, and physical function.
What's actually going on in research
Trials are testing drugs that calm the immune storm without suppressing infection defense, biomarker-guided antibiotic strategies to avoid overtreatment, and therapies targeting specific sepsis subtypes identified by blood tests. Researchers are also studying rehabilitation programs for sepsis survivors and ways to predict who will develop long-term complications.
Immune modulation
Several drugs aim to dial down the excessive immune response that damages organs in sepsis without blocking the body's ability to fight infection. Early trials are testing antibodies and small molecules that target specific inflammatory pathways.
Precision sepsis
Blood tests can now identify distinct sepsis subtypes that respond differently to treatment. Trials are testing whether matching therapy to subtype improves outcomes compared to one-size-fits-all care.
Post-sepsis recovery
Studies are testing rehabilitation programs, cognitive therapy, and medications to help the roughly half of sepsis survivors who face lasting physical or mental problems. This includes examining why some people recover fully while others don't.
What to know before you search
Eligibility often depends on sepsis severity, organ dysfunction, infection source, time since sepsis onset, and for recovery trials, degree of post-sepsis impairment.
What types of trials are currently open
- Drug trials — Testing medications that target the immune overreaction in sepsis, often added to standard antibiotics and supportive care.
- Fluid and resuscitation trials — Comparing different strategies for giving IV fluids and blood pressure medications in the first hours of sepsis.
- Antibiotic trials — Testing biomarker-guided approaches to starting, choosing, and stopping antibiotics more precisely.
- Recovery trials — Testing rehabilitation, therapy, and medications to improve physical, cognitive, and mental health after surviving sepsis.
- Prevention studies — Following high-risk patients to identify who develops sepsis and testing ways to catch and treat infections before they become life-threatening.
Recently added Sepsis trials
Early Detection and Kinetics of Sepsis-Induced Coagulopathy in Severe Burn Patients
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of an avatar-supported, teacher-student interactive, vodcast-based peer bullying prevention program-developed for adolescents-on students' ability to identify peer bullying, their experiences with bullying, fighting, and victimization, and their levels of empathy. Designed as a non-randomized controlled study (quasi-experimental), this research will be conducted between October 2026 and December 2026 with students attending two public middle schools under the Ministry of National Education in the city center of Nevşehir. Based on an analysis using the G\*Power (v3.1.9.7) software-with parameters set at an effect size of 0.5, a significance level of 0.05, and a test power of 0.80-the sample size has been determined to be 128 students in total, with 64 students in each of the experimental and control groups. Data will be collected using the "Student Demographic Information Form," the "Peer Bullying Identification Scale (Adolescent Form)," the "Illinois Bullying, Fighting, and Victimization Scale," and the "Empathy Scale for Children," all of which will be prepared by the researcher. During the intervention phase, the experimental group will watch five avatar-supported, teacher-student interactive vodcasts (educational video content), while the control group will receive no intervention. Data analysis will involve the Independent Samples t-test, as well as the Pearson Chi-square and Fisher's Exact tests for categorical data. A Mixed-Design Analysis of Variance (Mixed ANOVA) will be used to compare variables across follow-up time points, and the Bonferroni correction will be applied when comparing main effects. A p-value of \<0.05 will be considered statistically significant; ethical principles will be strictly upheld throughout the study, with a focus on obtaining parental consent and ensuring the voluntary participation of students.
Middle East Study of Infections in Patients With Hematological Malignancies
The goal of this prospective observational study is to is to prospectively study the epidemiology of bloodstream infection (BSI) in patients with hematological malignancies (HM) and hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) recipients across the Middle East. The objectives are to describe the epidemiological trends, identify risk factors for inappropriate antimicrobial therapy, and predictors of persistent BSI, microbiological relapse, and all-cause mortality. The study is entirely observational, participants will receive standard clinical care as directed by their treating doctors.
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