Table 1.

Major and minor criteria for admission to the intensive care unit (ICU).

Major criteria

Septic shock with the need for vasoactive amines

Respiratory failure requiring mechanical ventilation

Minor criteria

Respiratory frequency >30 rpm with conventional oxygen therapy

PaO2/FiO2 <250 with conventional oxygen therapy

Bilateral infiltrates

Altered level of consciousness

Elevation of urea (>20 mg/dl)

Leukocytopenia (<4000 cells./ml) and lymphocytes

Thrombocytopenia (<100,000/ml)

Hypothermia (<36 °C)

Hypotension requiring aggressive fluid resuscitation

D-dimer >1 μg/l