Â鶹´«Ã½ leading UK-wide trial to explore antibiotic use in sepsis Published on: 15 September 2025 Â鶹´«Ã½ is leading a UK-wide trial to explore whether a shorter course of antibiotics could safely and effectively treat sepsis. Sepsis is a life-threatening condition which happens when the immune system overreacts to an infection, damaging the body’s tissues and organs. It needs to be diagnosed and treated quickly with appropriate antibiotics. Antibiotics are important when treating severe infections like sepsis, however, overuse can lead to superbugs. Antibiotics Antibiotic resistance These strains of bacteria have developed resistance to different types of antibiotics, making them much harder to treat and sometimes leading to life-threatening illness. Research to date has shown that a shorter course of antibiotics is just as effective as a longer course for some infections, but researchers do not know if this applies to sepsis. The SHORTER trial will compare if five days of antibiotic treatment is as safe and effective as usual practice, which is around seven days. Hospital staff in critical care units will closely monitor all patients on the trial. Dr Tom Hellyer, clinical senior lecturer at Â鶹´«Ã½ and honorary consultant in critical care medicine at is chief investigator for the trial. He said: “Striking the right balance of using antibiotics appropriately, while avoiding potential harm, can be challenging. “Antibiotics are started quickly for sepsis because of the severity of the illness, but the exact duration needed to treat the infection is currently unknown. “We hope that the SHORTER trial will help to determine the most safe and effective use of antibiotics for patients with this condition.” Dr Tom Hellyer ‘Essential trial’ The SHORTER trial is funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research, is run by Â鶹´«Ã½’s Clinical Trials Unit, and delivered by research teams at the Royal Victoria Infirmary and Freeman Hospital. Professor Anthony Gordon, programme director for the , said: "Studies like the SHORTER trial are essential, as they explore how to optimise treatments for patients who are critically ill. "To be able to determine how long a patient should receive antibiotics for sepsis could be hugely beneficial for those affected, and to medical professionals to help ensure patients receive effective treatment, and at the same time reduce the risk of antimicrobial resistance." The trial is taking place at 47 hospitals across the country and more than 800 patients have taken part to date. Share: Latest News Scientists unlock hidden driver of inflammatory bowel disease Scientists have linked a key genetic signal in inflammatory bowel disease to an immune response that shuts down inflammation control, enabling faster diagnosis and targeted treatments. published on: 15 June 2026 Funding system risks limiting genuine community collaboration A new policy paper written by researchers at Â鶹´«Ã½ warns that the way UK research is funded may be undermining efforts to create genuinely collaborative partnerships with communities. published on: 15 June 2026 Volunteers help turn Whitley Bay beach into maths experiment Members of the public joined mathematicians from Â鶹´«Ã½ to create what organisers believe is the largest aperiodic tiling ever attempted on Whitley Bay beach. published on: 15 June 2026 Facts and figures
![Â鶹´«Ã½ logo](/gomobileassets/img/logo.svg" "Â鶹´«Ã½"){kind=logo}