Reliable evidence was insufficient in pediatric sepsis and many aspects in clinical practice depend on expert consensus and some evidence in adult sepsis. This recent review by Kawasaki introduces more recent findings that provide us deeper insights into pediatric sepsis since the publication of the SSCG 2012.

Serum lactate ≥4 mmol/L and nighttime admissions are associated with unexpected ICU transfer in patients with severe sepsis. Mortality among patients with delayed ICU upgrade was similar to that for patients initially admitted directly to the ICU. The study by Wardi et al. aimed to identify clinical factors that can predict patients at increased risk for delayed transfer to the ICU and the association of delayed ICU transfer with mortality.

Journal of Intensive Care is the official journal of the Japanese Society of Intensive Care Medicine (JSICM).

The publication costs for Journal of Intensive Care are currently covered by JSICM, therefore no fees will be charged to authors whose articles are accepted for publication in the journal.

Current overview in pediatric critical care
In this thematic series, the authors review the current management of pediatric sepsis, pediatric organ transplantation, pediatric cardiac surgery and more.

Trauma-induced coagulopathy and critical bleeding
In this thematic series, the authors examine the pathophysiology of trauma-induced coagulopathy and discuss the novel therapeutic strategies for the management of patients with severe trauma.

Point-of-care ultrasound
In this thematic series, the authors review various clinical studies on point-of-care ultrasound, which were carried out based on the ideas of “extraction”, “creation” and “integration”.

Organ dysfunction in sepsis
In this thematic series, the authors review the pathophysiology of organ dysfunction in sepsis. The role of two main pathomechanisms of organ dysfunction, DIC and endothelial cell dysfunction, are also discussed.

Neurocritical care
In this thematic series, the role of monitoring is highlighted to guide the treatment and therapeutic intervention tailored for the pathophysiologic degree of brain injury.

Fluid management
In this thematic series, the principal and practical matters underlying fluid therapy are highlighted to allow intensivists around the world to better understand and manage such primary and consistent intervention as fluid therapy in critically ill patients.

Satoshi Gando, Editor-in-Chief

Dr Satoshi Gando is currently a Professor and Chairman of the Division of Acute and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine at the Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan. He is also Director of the Critical Center, which includes the emergency room and intensive care unit at Hokkaido University Hospital.

Hiroshi Morisaki, Deputy Editor

Dr Hiroshi Morisaki is currently Professor and Chair of the Department of Anesthesiology at Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan. He also serves as the Director of the General Intensive Care Unit, Keio University Hospital.