Table 1.
Baseline characteristics of 443 severe sepsis and septic shock patients admitted to the intensive care unit
| Characteristics | All (N = 443) | Lactate ≤2.5 mmol/L (N = 260) | Lactate >2.5 mmol/L (N = 183) | P* |
| Age, year, median (IQR) | 70 (55–82) | 71 (54–83) | 70 (58–82) | 0.845 |
| Male, n (%) | 273 (61.6) | 156 (60.0) | 117 (63.9) | 0.428 |
| Comorbidities, n (%) | ||||
| Systemic hypertension | 145 (32.7) | 80 (30.8) | 65 (35.5) | 0.305 |
| Diabetes mellitus | 92 (20.8) | 51 (19.6) | 41 (22.4) | 0.478 |
| Transplant | 48 (10.8) | 29 (11.2) | 19 (10.4) | 0.877 |
| Oncologic | 46 (10.4) | 25 (9.6) | 21 (11.5) | 0.531 |
| Chronic kidney failure | 30 (6.8) | 20 (7.8) | 10 (5.5) | 0.443 |
| Congestive heart failure | 28 (6.3) | 19 (7.4) | 9 (4.9) | 0.329 |
| Liver cirrhosis | 14 (3.2) | 4 (1.5) | 10 (5.5) | 0.026 |
| COPD | 14 (3.2) | 5 (1.9) | 9 (4.9) | 0.098 |
| Source of sepsis, n (%) | ||||
| Respiratory system | 224 (50.6) | 146 (56.2) | 78 (42.6) | 0.005 |
| Urinary system | 90 (20.3) | 44 (16.9) | 46 (25.1) | 0.041 |
| Abdominal | 73 (16.5) | 34 (13.1) | 39 (21.3) | 0.027 |
| Skin and soft tissues | 17 (3.8) | 11 (4.2) | 6 (3.3) | 0.803 |
| Bloodstream | 10 (2.3) | 6 (2.3) | 4 (2.2) | 1.000 |
| Unknown | 21 (4.7) | 14 (5.4) | 7 (3.8) | 1.000 |
| Other | 8 (1.8) | 5 (1.9) | 3 (1.6) | 1.000 |
| Diagnosis at ED, n (%) | ||||
| Severe sepsis | 258 (58.2) | 166 (63.8) | 92 (50.3) | 0.005 |
| Septic shock | 185 (41.8) | 94 (36.2) | 91 (49.7) | 0.005 |
| APACHE II score, median (IQR) | 20 (17–24) | 19 (16–25) | 20 (17–24) | 0.542 |
| SOFA score, median (IQR) | 4 (3–7) | 4 (3–6) | 5 (3–8) | 0.033 |
| Initial lactate, mmol/L, median (IQR) | 2.1 (1.3–3.3) | 1.44 (1.11–1.89) | 3.66 (3.00–5.77) | <0.001 |
| ScvO2, %, median (IQR) | 75 (71–81) | 75 (70–81) | 75 (72–81) | 0.406 |
| Vasopressor use on day 1, n (%) | 185 (42.3) | 92 (37.5) | 93 (52.0) | 0.001 |
| Mechanical ventilation on day 1, n (%) | 83 (18.9) | 48 (18.5) | 35 (19.4) | 0.806 |
*P values were provided by chi-square test or Fisher exact test for binary variables and Mann-Whitney U test for continuous variables.
APACHE II, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (varies from 0 to 71, higher values indicate greater severity); COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; ED, emergency department; IQR, interquartile range; ScvO2, central venous oxygen saturation; SOFA score, Sequential Organ Failure Score (range 0–24, higher values indicate greater number of organ dysfunction) at ICU admission.
Values represent median (IQR) or n (%).