There are three definitions related to the diagnosis of sepsis.

Early sepsis

There is no formal definition for early sepsis. However, patients with infection and bacteraemia are at risk of developing sepsis and should be monitored for early detection. The qSOFA can be used to help identify patients at risk of dying from sepsis. A score of 2 or more is associated with poorer outcomes.

Sepsis

Defined as life threatening organ dysfunction caused by a dysregulated host response to infection. Organ dysfunction is defined as an increase of two or more points in the SOFA score.

Septic sepsis

Defined as sepsis with circulatory, cellular and metabolic abnormalities that are associated with a greater risk of mortality than sepsis alone. This group includes patients fulfilling the criteria for sepsis who, despite adequate fluid resuscitation, require vasopressors to maintain a MAP above 65mmHg and have a lactate above 2mmol/L.