“We are delighted to welcome Dr Brendon Scicluna as a new councillor of the European Shock Society after being unanimously elected at the 20th European Shock Society Congress in Vienna, Austria. Dr Scicluna has been an active member of the European Shock Society for several years. He has an excellent track record in the field of sepsis immunology and intensive care research, making key contributions to our understanding of pathophysiology of sepsis and septic shock. Dr Scicluna's professional expertise is nicely supplemented by his collegial enthusiasm and team spirit - indispensable traits in a councillor of the European Shock Society. We are honoured to have Dr Scicluna in our ranks and wish him an enjoyable and fruitful interaction with the entire executive team!" Dr Marcin Osuchowski, European Shock Society President, Head of Sepsis-Trauma-Shock Research, Deputy Director, Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Traumatology, Vienna, Austria.
"I am thrilled and honoured to have been voted to the Council of the European Shock Society. Serving in this capacity is a privilege, and I am devoted to developing the area of sepsis, trauma and shock medicine. I am excited to contribute to the society's purpose and to use this platform to increase the University of Malta's global visibility. Together, we can achieve important advances in research, education, and patient care, cementing our institution's position as a major contributor in the field. Thank you for this great opportunity to make a difference." Dr Brendon Scicluna, Department of Applied Biomedical Science, Faculty of Health Sciences.
Sepsis is currently defined as the dysfunctional host response to infection leading to lethal organ dysfunction.1 In 2017, the global incidence was estimated at 48.9 million cases, with 11 million sepsis-associated deaths representing 19.7% of all deaths worldwide.2 Respiratory infections, particularly pneumonia, are major determinants of sepsis, and a leading cause of mortality especially in elderly people. In this setting, sepsis results in death in approximately 25% of patients, increasing to almost 50% in those with septic shock.3 It is expected that sepsis will remain a global problem due to a combination of factors, including surgical interventions, potent immunosuppressive drugs, an ageing population, and emergence of pathogens with pandemic potential. The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic exemplifies the problem. SARS-CoV-2 affects elderly adults more often than children,4 with multi-organ failure recognized as a major complication of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19),5,6 which by definition is sepsis.7
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