Sepsis-coded hospitalisations and associated costs in Australia: a retrospective analysis

OBJECTIVE: To report trends in Australian hospitalisations coded for sepsis and their associated costs. DESIGN: Retrospective analysis of Australian national hospitalisation data from 2002 to 2021. METHODS: Sepsis-coded hospitalisations were identified using the Global Burden of Disease study sepsis-specific ICD-10 codes modified for Australia. Costs were calculated using Australian-Refined Diagnosis Related Group codes and National Hospital Cost Data Collection. RESULTS: Sepsis-coded hospitalisations increased from 36,628 in 2002-03 to 131,826 in 2020-21, an annual rate of 7.8%. Principal admission diagnosis codes contributed 13,843 (37.8%) in 2002-03 and 44,186 (33.5%) in 2020-21; secondary diagnosis codes contributed 22,785 (62.2%) in 2002-03 and 87,640 (66.5%) in 2020-21. Unspecified sepsis was the most common sepsis code, increasing from 15,178 hospitalisations in 2002-03 to 68,910 in 2020-21. The population-based incidence of sepsis-coded hospitalisations increased from 18.6 to 10,000 population (2002-03) to 51.3 per 10,000 (2021-21); representing an increase from 55.1 to 10,000 hospitalisations in 2002-03 to 111.4 in 2020-21. Sepsis-coded hospitalisations occurred more commonly in the elderly; those aged 65 years or above accounting for 20,573 (55.6%) sepsis-coded hospitalisations in 2002-03 and 86,135 (65.3%) in 2020-21. The cost of sepsis-coded hospitalisations increased at an annual rate of 20.6%, from AUD199M (€127 M) in financial year 2012 to AUD711M (€455 M) in 2019. CONCLUSION: Hospitalisations coded for sepsis and associated costs increased significantly from 2002 to 2021 and from 2012 to 2019, respectively. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12913-023-10223-1.