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Sepsis-Associated Encephalopathy: From Delirium to Dementia?
Chung HY, Wickel J, Brunkhorst FM, Geis C.. Journal of clinical medicine, 2020-03-05
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Sepsis is a major cause of death in intensive care units worldwide. The acute phase of sepsis is often accompanied by sepsis-associated encephalopathy, which is highly associated with increased mortality. Moreover, in the chronic phase, more than 50% of surviving patients suffer from severe and long-term cognitive deficits compromising their daily quality of life and placing an immense burden on primary caregivers. Due to a growing number of sepsis survivors, these long-lasting deficits are increasingly relevant. Despite the high incidence and clinical relevance, the pathomechanisms of acute and chronic stages in sepsis-associated encephalopathy are only incompletely understood, and no specific therapeutic options are yet available. Here, we review the emergence of sepsis-associated encephalopathy from initial clinical presentation to long-term cognitive impairment in sepsis survivors and summarize pathomechanisms potentially contributing to the development of sepsis-associated encephalopathy.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Chung, H. Y., Wickel, J., Brunkhorst, F. M., & Geis, C. (2020). Sepsis-Associated Encephalopathy: From Delirium to Dementia? Journal of clinical medicine. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm9030703
Vancouver
Chung HY, Wickel J, Brunkhorst FM, Geis C. Sepsis-Associated Encephalopathy: From Delirium to Dementia? Journal of clinical medicine. 2020. doi:10.3390/jcm9030703. PMID: 32150970.
BibTeX
@article{chung2020-32150970,
author = {Chung, H. Y. and Wickel, J. and Brunkhorst, F. M. and Geis, C.},
title = {{Sepsis-Associated Encephalopathy: From Delirium to Dementia?}},
journal = {Journal of clinical medicine},
year = {2020},
doi = {10.3390/jcm9030703},
pmid = {32150970},
url = {https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm9030703}
}
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Key findings
- The acute phase of sepsis is often accompanied by sepsis-associated encephalopathy, which is highly associated with increased mortality.
Why it matters
This review describes how sepsis can cause acute brain dysfunction and long-term cognitive deficits in survivors, with no specific therapeutic options yet available. It concerns cognitive impairment after sepsis rather than Alzheimer's disease, and it does not provide a treatment or cure.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 47/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Journal of clinical medicine) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | Journal of Clinical Medicine: journal h-index 188 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 2 / 5 | 2020 — within 10 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 5 / 7 | Cited 216 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 4 / 5 | 27.0 citations a year over 8 year(s) since 2020 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 18.4× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 1 / 6 | Cited by 2 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 3 / 4 | Cited 87 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Christian Geis: h-index 51 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 0 / 3 | Jena University Hospital: institution h-index 389 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 32150970) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 47 / 100 | — |
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Read the original
- DOI: 10.3390/jcm9030703
- PubMed: 32150970
- Original source →
- Free full text: Journal of Clinical Medicine →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
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