The mortality of patients with sepsis increases in the first month of a new academic year

Many studies have examined the July effect. However, little is known about the July effect in sepsis. We hypothesized that the July effect would result in worse outcomes for patients with sepsis. Data from patients with sepsis, collected prospectively between January 2018 and December 2021, were analyzed. In Korea, the new academic year starts on March 1, so the "July effect" appears in March. The primary outcome was 30-day mortality. Secondary outcomes included adherence to the Surviving Sepsis Campaign bundle. Outcomes in March were compared to other months. A multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression was performed to adjust for confounders. We included 843 patients. There were no significant differences in sepsis severity. The 30-day mortality in March was higher (49.0% vs. 28.5%, P