Early Prediction of Sepsis from Clinical Data: The PhysioNet/Computing in Cardiology Challenge 2019

Sepsis is a life-threatening condition that occurs when the body's response to infection causes tissue damage, organ failure, or death ([Singer _et al._ , 2016](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26903338)). In the U.S., nearly 1.7 million people develop sepsis and 270,000 people die from sepsis each year; over one third of people who die in U.S. hospitals have sepsis ([CDC](https://www.cdc.gov/sepsis/datareports/index.html)). Internationally, an estimated 30 million people develop sepsis and 6 million people die from sepsis each year; an estimated 4.2 million newborns and children are affected ([WHO](https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/sepsis)). Sepsis costs U.S. hospitals more than any other health condition at $24 billion (13% of U.S. healthcare expenses) a year, and a majority of these costs are for sepsis patients that were not diagnosed at admission ([Paoli _et al._ , 2018](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30048332)). Sepsis costs are even greater globally with the developing world at most risk. Altogether, sepsis is a major public health issue responsible for significant morbidity, mortality, and healthcare expenses. Early detection and antibiotic treatment of sepsis are critical for improving sepsis outcomes, where each hour of delayed treatment has been associated with roughly an 4-8% increase in mortality ([Kumar _et al._ , 2006](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16625125); [Seymour _et al._ , 2017](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28528569)). To help address this problem, clinicians have proposed new definitions for sepsis ([Singer _et al._ , 2016](https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2492881)), but the fundamental need to detect and treat sepsis early still remains, and basic questions about the limits of early detection remain unanswered. The PhysioNet/Computing in Cardiology Challenge 2019 provides an opportunity to address these questions.