Table 3.
Recognised covariates, grouped by PIRO classification, their total sample value in percentage %, median (+ IQR) or mean (+SD), as well as the values for the group with severe or good outcome and finally their statistical relation to severe outcome
| Covariables | TOTAL [n = 176]: %; mean (SD) or median (IQR) | Unknown, n | Severe outcome [n = 10] | Good outcome [n = 166] | [95 % CI] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Predisposition | |||||
| Age | med. 2 years (0.65–6) | 0 | 0.65 years | 2 years | [−0.08; 2.7] |
| Gender | 49.5 % male | 1 | 60 % | 55.2 % | [−24.7 %; 30 %] |
| Severe comorbidity | 35.8 % | 11 | 33.3 % | 35.9 % | [−24.8 %; 27.6 %] |
| First contact time T0 | 14 h (9–18) | 2 | 14.5 h | 14 h | [−3; 5] |
| First symptoms | med. 30 h before T0 (13–72) | 9 | 42 h | 30 h | [−24; 20] |
| Secondary transfer | 10.8 % | 3 | 20 % | 10.4 % | [−6 %; 41 %] |
| Infection | |||||
| Meningococcal disease | 23.6 % | 70 | 14.3 % | 24.2 % | [−26.9 %; 27.5 %] |
| Pneumococcal disease | 10.4 % | 70 | 14.3 % | 10.1 % | [−10.7 %; 41.5 %] |
| Toxic shock syndrome | 7.2 % | 23 | 11.1 % | 7 % | [−6.7 %; 36.9 %] |
| Site of infection: brain | 15 % | 23 | 33.3 % | 13.9 % | [−3 %; 51.3 %] |
| Site of infection: line | 5.2 % | 23 | 11.1 % | 4.9 % | [−4.2 %; 38.9 %] |
| Site of infection: urine | 9.8 % | 23 | 0 % | 10.4 % | [−16.5 %; 19.9 %] |
| Host response | |||||
| White blood cell count | Mean, 13,980/μL (10,955) | 8 | 12,932 | 14,040 | [−6323; 8539] |
| White blood cell < 1,000/μl | 14.4 % | 9 | 30 % | 13.4 % | [−3.7 %; 47.5 %] |
| Thrombocytes < 100,000/μl | 25.9 % | 10 | 44.4 % | 24.8 % | [−7.9 %; 46.1 %] |
| INR (int. normal. ratio) | med. 1.61 (1.3–2) | 79 | 1.71 | 1.6 | [−0.86; 0.2] |
| Glycaemia | med. 109.5 g/L (90–152) | 26 | 107 | 110 | [−80; 40] |
| C-reactive protein | mean 18 mg/dl (14.2) | 36 | 23.7 | 17.8 | [−20.2; 8.4] |
| Organ dysfunction | |||||
| Any hypotension first 6 h | 47.7 % | 0 | 80 % | 45.8 % | [2.2 %; 51.2 %]* |
| Any oxygen sat. <90 % first 6 h | 33.3 % | 17 | 90 % | 29.5 % | [29.2 %; 72.3 %]*** |
| Intensive care/HDU admission | 65.7 % | 1 | 80 % | 62.4 % | [−14.4 %; 34.5 %] |
| Need for mech. ventilation | 25.9 % | 0 | 100 % | 21.3 % | [50.4 %; 84.2 %]*** |
| Length of mech. ventilation | med. 0 h (0–0) | 2 | 60 | 0 | [−96;−24]*** |
| Need for vasoactive medic. | 42.9 % | 0 | 100 % | 39.2 % | [32.3 %; 68.1 %]*** |
| Length of vasoactive support | med. 0 h (0–22) | 8 | 59 | 0 | [−72; −22]*** |
| Creatinine | med. 0.47 mg/dl (0.3–0.85) | 12 | 0.7 | 0.45 | [−0.01; −0.5]* |
| ALT | med. 48 IU/L (26–117) | 89 | 79 | 46 | [−66; 20] |
| Base excess (mean) | mean -8 (6.9) | 48 | −15.8 | −7.5 | [−3.5; −13.1]*** |
| Lactate (mg/dl; mean) | mean 39.8 mg/dl (32.9) | 63 | 77 | 37 | [17.2; 62.8]*** |
| Treatments provided | |||||
| Total fluid first 6 h | med. 30 ml/kg (18–60) | 5 | 58 | 30 | [10; 50]** |
| Total fluid first 24 h | med. 40 ml/kg (19–66) | 11 | 68 | 35 | [10; 65]** |
| Total fluid first 6 h > 40 ml/kg | 43.3 % | 5 | 90 % | 40.4 % | [18.3 %; 61.7 %]** |
| Total fluid first 24 h > 40 ml/kg | 50 % | 10 | 90 % | 47.4 % | [11.2 %; 55 %]* |
| Additional fluid bolus after 6 h | 20.4 % | 14 | 20 % | 20.4 % | [−16.9 %; 31.3 %] |
| Total fluid first h > 20 ml/kg | 73.7 % | 5 | 100 % | 72 % | [−0.4 %; 35.4 %] |
| Any colloid bolus first 24 h | 18.2 % | 0 | 50 % | 16.3 % | [6.5 %; 60.8 %]* |
| Any blood products first 24 h | 22.7 % | 0 | 60 % | 20.5 % | [9.9 %; 63.8 %]* |
| Any packed red cells first 24 h | 16.6 % | 1 | 60 % | 13.9 % | [16.7 %; 70 %]* |
| Any plasma transf. first 24 h | 11.4 % | 0 | 30 % | 10.2 % | [−0.3 %; 50.5 %] |
| Any platelet transf. first 24 h | 7.4 % | 0 | 20 % | 6.6 % | [−1.8 %; 44.7 %] |
| Dopamine in first 24 h | 29 % | 0 | 60 % | 27.1 % | [3.1 %; 57.3 %]* |
| Dobutamine in first 24 h | 15.9 % | 0 | 60 % | 13.2 % | [17.4 %; 70.7 %]** |
| Noradrenaline in first 24 h | 18.2 % | 0 | 40 % | 16.9 % | [−1.1 %; 52.6 %] |
| Adrenaline in first 24 h | 13.6 % | 0 | 40 % | 12 % | [4 %; 57.2 %]* |
| Any corticosteroids in first 24 h | 14.9 % | 2 | 40 % | 13.4 % | [2.5 %; 55.9 %]* |
Covariates are presented with the units or groupings used. For each variable, the number of cases is given in which that variable is ‘unknown’ (not measured, not retraceable). For hypotension, we use the definitions from Goldstein et al. [7]. Fluid boluses are summated without taking into account maintenance fluids. For biochemical values, the worst value on day 1 counts. Causative agents or infectious sites are positive if proven biochemically, by culture or PCR. Depending on the properties of the variables, a Fisher exact, Student’s t or Mann–Whitney U test is used for statistical inference. The 95 % confidence intervals [CI] are given for the differences between proportions, medians or means, respectively (see “Methods” section)
Significant relations are presented in bold
*P values < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P <0.001 are indicated here and are two-sided