Sepsis treatments shown ineffective

Using steroids or intensive insulin therapy -- standard hospital remedies for life-threatening blood infections called sepsis -- doesn’t work and may increase the risk of dangerous side effects, researchers reported Thursday in the New England Journal of Medicine.

About 750,000 Americans develop sepsis every year, with 215,000 dying, according to the Society of Critical Care Medicine in Chicago.

A review of 499 patients found no significant difference in mortality between those given low-dose hydrocortisone for 11 days and those who received placebos.

In a second study of 537 patients, intensive insulin treatment didn’t improve survival and actually increased patients’ risk of side effects while also prolonging hospital stays linked to lower-than-normal levels of blood sugar.