Sepsis-associated encephalopathy

Sepsis-associated encephalopathy, abbreviated SAE and also called sepsis-associated brain dysfunction or septic encephalopathy, is an umbrella term for the neurological complications that follow sepsis. It is a type of infectious disease-associated encephalopathy. The condition is common but poorly understood, and approximately 70 percent of people with sepsis experience it. Diagnosis is difficult because there are no well-established biomarkers, so it is currently a diagnosis of exclusion based on clinical symptoms, although an electroencephalogram may help in supporting the diagnosis. Its acute symptoms can include lethargy, delirium, impaired cognition and attention, seizures and, in severe cases, coma.