Long-term, all-cause mortality risk after infection episodes in older adults

Abstract

Infectious diseases are among the top 20 causes of death in adults over the age of 60 years worldwide.1 Various studies have reported an increased risk of short-term and long-term mortality following bloodstream infection, sepsis, or pneumonia.2–4 All-cause mortality (after 1 year or more) following a bloodstream infection has been reported to range from 8% to 48%, with the relative risk of death at 1 year estimated at 4·04 (95% CI 1·84–8·87), according to a 2018 systematic review.5 However, that systematic review did not analyse mortality in older adults, nor did it consider other causes of infection or longer follow-up periods.

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