Sex differences in sepsis outcomes across the lifespan: a population-based cohort study in Germany
Authors' conclusion
Sepsis long-term outcomes appear to be influenced by a complex interaction between age and sex.
Study context
- Population
- Patients aged ≥15 years with incident hospital-treated sepsis (ICD-10-GM) in 2013–2014, large German health insurance provider
- Participants
- 159,684 patients
- Exposure
- Female vs male sex
- Femalen = 75,809
- Malen = 83,875reference
- Outcome
- Mortality (hospital and 12-months) by sex and age
- Follow-up
- 12 months
Methodological detailspopulation-based, nationwide health claims data
- Population-based
- Nationwide health claims data
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Mortality, average marginal effect (AME) over observed age distribution
Average marginal effects (AME), hospital mortality
- 2.8%
95% CI - 3.2%, - 2.3%P < 0.001
Female
AME, 12-months mortality
- 5.4%
95% CI - 5.9%, - 4.9%P < 0.001
Female
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
- Females less often affected by cognitive impairments, but more often psychological and physical impairments and nursing care dependency, with differential associations across the lifespan
Original publication
Sex differences in sepsis outcomes across the lifespan: a population-based cohort study in Germany. Crit Care. Published 26 September 2025. doi:10.
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