Biography

I’m a co-founder of the international “Neonatal sepsis trial network” with the vision for “Less antibiotics for babies (Nat Commun. 2023 Apr 27;14(1):2423). World-wide, there is a huge antibiotic overtreatment within the first week of life due to suspected bacterial infection (JAMA Netw Open. 2022 Nov 1;5(11):e2243691). The network consists of a group of independent physicians with a special interest in neonatal sepsis. The history of the neonatal sepsis trail network is close related to the study NeoPInS. After publication of the single-centre intervention trial using Procalcitonin (PCT)-guided decision-making to shorten antibiotic therapy in suspected neonatal early-onset sepsis (Neonatology 2010; 97(2):165-74), there was a strong feeling held by me that this study should serve as pilot trial for a larger, multi-centre trial. The NeoPInS study was published 2017 in the Lancet (Lancet. 2017 Aug 26;390(10097):871-881). A cost analysis showed a positive cost impact of our approach (Crit Care. 2021 Oct 20;25(1):367). To show the feasibility and impact of the NeoPInS algorithm, I conducted a retrospective analysis to show the positive impact outside of a study setting (Front Pediatr. 2021;9:702133). In addition, I was involved in several national projects to analyze and improve care for sepsis patients. I was the local PI in a national analysis of all blood-culture proven sepsis cases in children in Switzerland over 5 years (Lancet Child Adolesc Health. 2017 Oct;1(2):124-133). This epidemiological data were the base for many future studies and project in Switzerland. Currently, I’m one of the co-founders of the Swiss sepsis national action plan with the aim to improve the management, care and outcome of sepsis patients in Switzerland (J Pediatr. 2018 Oct;201:106-114.e4).

Selected Publications

Complete List of Published Works: 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/myncbi/martin.stocker.1/bibliography/public/