Table 2:
Clinical Characteristics of Patients Hospitalized with Severe Sepsis in the Intensive Care Unit
| Propensity-matched Cohort |
Unmatched Cohort |
||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |
Developed Severe Sepsis and Required ICU Care |
Required ICU Care but Did Not Develop Severe Sepsis |
Hospitalized with Infection |
Hospitalized Patients |
Population Control Subjects |
Developed Severe Sepsis and Required ICU Care |
Population Control Subjects |
| Variables | (n = 4,179) | (n = 4,179) | (n = 4,179) | (n = 4,179) | (n = 4,179) | (n = 4,179) | (n = 819,283) |
| Demographics | |||||||
| Age in years, mean (SD, median) | 77.4 (7, 77) | 75.7 (13, 77) | 77.2 (8, 77) | 77.4 (7, 77) | 77.4 (7, 77) | 77.4 (7, 77) | 75.9 (7.3, 75) |
| Race, % black | 11.6 | 10.9 | 9.8 | 11.2 | 11.3 | 11.6 | 8 |
| Sex, % male | 44.2 | 44.2 | 44.2 | 44.2 | 44.2 | 44.2 | 41.3 |
| Propensity score, mean (SD, median) | 14.3 (8.4, 13) | 13.9 (8.5, 13) | 14.1 (8.3, 13) | 14.2 (8.2, 13) | 14.1 (8.2, 13) | 14.3 (8.4, 13) | 7.5 (6.3, 6) |
| Health conditions during the year before index admission | |||||||
| Diabetes, % | 37.5 | 37.1 | 36.9 | 37.3 | 36.6 | 37.5 | 18 |
| Lung disease, % | |||||||
| Chronic lung disease | 31.7 | 31.8 | 31.2 | 31.4 | 30.9 | 31.7 | 19.2 |
| Acute exacerbation of chronic lung disease | 12.7 | 13.1 | 14.5 | 10.7 | 13.7 | 12.7 | 2.9 |
| CVD, % | |||||||
| <Two CVD risk factors* | 28.3 | 28.2 | 28.4 | 28.3 | 28.3 | 28.3 | 53.6 |
| ≥Two CVD risk factors* | 15.7 | 15.1 | 15.7 | 15.7 | 15.7 | 15.7 | 17.6 |
| Chronic CVD | 26.6 | 26.7 | 26.4 | 26.6 | 26.6 | 26.6 | 15.7 |
| Cardiovascular events | 29.4 | 30.0 | 29.5 | 29.4 | 29.4 | 29.4 | 13.1 |
| Dementia, % | 1.6 | 1.0 | 1.4 | 1.0 | 1.3 | 1.6 | 3.2 |
| Infection, % | |||||||
| As an outpatient | 41.0 | 40.1 | 39.3 | 44.3 | 43.5 | 41.0 | 26.2 |
| Hospitalized | 24.5 | 24.9 | 27.7 | 22.9 | 24.1 | 24.5 | 5.8 |
| Kidney disease, % | |||||||
| Chronic kidney disease | 10.2 | 9.8 | 8.3 | 10.1 | 10.4 | 10.2 | 3.4 |
| Dialyses or acute kidney injury | 8.5 | 7.7 | 5.8 | 8.2 | 6.4 | 8.5 | 1.2 |
| Cancer, % | |||||||
| Nonhematologic cancer | 29.1 | 32.7 | 31.0 | 35.5 | 30.8 | 29.1 | 20.7 |
| Hematologic cancer | 3.1 | 3.0 | 3.2 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3.1 | 1.3 |
| Reason for admission for hospitalized subjects, % | |||||||
| Medical | 63.7 | 63.8 | 65 | 63.7 | — | 63.7 | — |
| Surgical | 36.3 | 36.2 | 35 | 36.3 | — | 36.3 | — |
| Length of stay in days, median (interquartile range) | |||||||
| Intensive care unit | 6 (3–11) | 2 (1–5) | — | — | — | 6 (3–11) | — |
| Hospital stay | 11 (7–18) | 6 (3–10) | 6 (3–10) | 4 (2–6) | — | 11 (7–18) | — |
Definition of abbreviations: CVD = cardiovascular disease; ICU = intensive care unit.
Matched control subjects were matched based on age, sex, admission for medical or surgical reasons, and propensity score based on health conditions during the year before index admission (score assigned as follows: 9 points for hospitalization for infection, dialysis or acute kidney injury, and respiratory category 2; 6 points for age over 85 years; 5 points for chronic renal disease; 4 points for chronic pulmonary disease, leukemia, outpatient visit for infection; 3 points for infection, chronic CVD, or unstable angina, black race; 2 points for men; 2 points for hospitalizations for conditions other than infections; and 1 point for any other chronic disease (up to a maximum of 2 points). These subjects were in the ICU, hospitalized with infection, hospitalized for other reasons, and general population. Only patients with severe sepsis and hospitalized control subjects who were alive at hospital discharge are shown.
CVD risk factors include smoking, hypertension, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia, and are based on the Framingham risk score.