Table 1.
Clinical characteristics of the patients
| Infection (n = 100) | Sepsis (n = 95) | Septic shock (n = 57) | P † (infection versus sepsis) | P † (infection versus septic shock) | P † (sepsis versus septic shock) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age (years) * | 57·0 (39·25–70·50) | 73·0 (59–80) | 74·0 (68–78·5) | < 0·001‡ | < 0·001‡ | 1·000 |
| Male sex | 60 (60·0) | 62 (65) | 31 (54) | 0·448 | 0·493 | 0·183 |
| Co‐morbidity | ||||||
| Chronic cardiovascular disease | 13 (13·0) | 28 (29) | 21 (37) | 0·005 | < 0·001 | 0·347 |
| Chronic respiratory disease | 2 (2) | 13 (14) | 6 (11) | 0·003 | 0·022 | 0·569 |
| High BP | 30 (30·0) | 47 (49) | 34 (60) | 0·009 | < 0·001 | 0·223 |
| Chronic renal failure | 2 (2·0) | 9 (9) | 7 (12) | 0·024 | 0·004 | 0·388 |
| Chronic hepatic failure | 4 (4·0) | 2 (2) | 1 (2) | 0·422 | 0·423 | 0·880 |
| Diabetes mellitus | 14 (14·0) | 20 (21) | 17 (30) | 0·194 | 0·017 | 0·222 |
| Cancer | 13 (13·0) | 18 (19) | 13 (23) | 0·256 | 0·112 | 0·568 |
| Immunosuppression | 5 (5·0) | 13 (14) | 6 (11) | 0·037 | 0·205 | 0·553 |
| Surgery type | ||||||
| Urgent | 70 (70·0) | 74 (78) | 41 (72) | 0·210 | 0·798 | 0·407 |
| Abdominal | 65 (65·0) | 54 (57) | 24 (42) | 0·243 | 0·005 | 0·078 |
| Cardiothoracic | 0 (0) | 14 (15) | 14 (25) | < 0·001 | < 0·001 | 0·130 |
| Vascular | 1 (1·0) | 3 (3) | 1 (2) | 0·288 | 0·685 | 0·601 |
| Urological/renal | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 1 (2) | § | 0·184 | 0·195 |
| Other | 13 (13·0) | 4 (4) | 4 (7) | 0·030 | 0·246 | 0·453 |
| Time course and outcome | ||||||
| Length of hospital stay (days)* | 5 (2–12) | 15 (8–29·5) | 31 (18·50–48·75) | < 0·001‡ | < 0·001‡ | < 0·001‡ |
| Length of ICU stay (days)* | 0·5 (0–2) | 3 (1–6·75) | 7 (3–13) | < 0·001‡ | < 0·001‡ | 0·001‡ |
| Hospital mortality | 0 (0) | 7 (7) | 22 (39) | 0·006 | < 0·001 | < 0·001 |
| Source of infection | ||||||
| Respiratory tract | 4 (4·0) | 15 (16) | 14 (25) | 0·006 | < 0·001 | 0·183 |
| Abdomen | 67 (67·0) | 48 (51) | 19 (33) | 0·019 | < 0·001 | 0·039 |
| Urinary tract | 0 (0) | 4 (4) | 6 (11) | 0·038 | 0·001 | 0·128 |
| Surgical site | 12 (12·0) | 16 (17) | 13 (23) | 0·335 | 0·075 | 0·365 |
| Bacteraemia | 0 (0) | 6·30 (6) | 12 (21) | 0·011 | < 0·001 | 0·006 |
| Other | 13 (13·0) | 16 (17) | 4 (7) | 0·451 | 0·246 | 0·083 |
| Microbiology | ||||||
| Positive culture | 29 (29·0) | 54 (57) | 43 (75) | < 0·001 | < 0·001 | 0·021 |
| Gram‐positive | 13 (13·0) | 29 (31) | 21 (37) | 0·003 | < 0·001 | 0·422 |
| Gram‐negative | 23 (23·0) | 31 (33) | 34 (60) | 0·133 | < 0·001 | 0·001 |
| Fungal | 4 (4·0) | 8 (8) | 8 (14) | 0·199 | 0·023 | 0·275 |
| Measurements at diagnosis * | ||||||
| SOFA score | 0 (0–1) | 6 (3–8) | 9 (7–11) | < 0·001‡ | < 0·001‡ | < 0·001‡ |
| Total bilirubin (mg/dl) | 0·70 (0·4–1·03) | 0·70 (0·43–1·78) | 1·00 (0·56–1·89) | 1·000‡ | 0·013‡ | 0·072‡ |
| Glucose level (mg/dl) | 118 (105–140) | 158 (117·5–184) | 163 (128–232·50) | < 0·001‡ | < 0·001‡ | 1·000‡ |
| Sodium level (mmol/l) | 139·00 (136–141·25) | 138·00 (135–141·25) | 129·00 (134–142) | 0·008‡ | < 0·001‡ | 0·001‡ |
| Potassium level (mmol/l) | 3·90 (3–4·10) | 4·00 (3·50–4·20) | 3·85 (3–4·12) | § | § | § |
| Platelet count (cells/mm3) | 221 500 (186 250–299 250) | 184 000 (105 250–276 000) | 123 000 (88 500–258 000) | 0·023‡ | 0·001‡ | 0·794‡ |
| INR | 1·15 (1·03–1·26) | 1·27 (1·16–1·35) | 1·44 (1·27–1·81) | 0·002‡ | < 0·001‡ | < 0·001‡ |
| Albumin (mg/dl) | 3480 (2737·5–4135) | 2445 (2132·50–3130) | 2340 (1837·5–2752·5) | < 0·001‡ | < 0·001‡ | 1·000‡ |
| Lactate (mmol/l) | 1·50 (1·06–1·85) | 1·50 (1·23–2) | 3·55 (2·46–5·19) | 1·000‡ | < 0·001‡ | < 0·001‡ |
| White blood cell count (cells/mm3) | 13 070 (9187·5–16 347·5) | 14 050 (9410–18 290) | 14 550 (7525–19 880) | § | § | § |
| Lymphocytes (cells/mm3) | 1383·50 (911·50–1806·36) | 940 (600·10–1453·86) | 592 (410·08–1103·39) | 0·021‡ | < 0·001‡ | 0·004‡ |
| Monocytes (cells/mm3) | 795·52 (466·07–1099) | 632 (345–962) | 411·25 (245–791·56) | 0·049‡ | 0·002‡ | 0·196‡ |
| Neutrophils (cells/mm3) | 10 144 (6327·70–13 864·48) | 12 100 (7857–15 195) | 12 240 (5647·50–18 177·50) | 0·091‡ | 0·199‡ | 1·000‡ |
| Eosinophils (cells/mm3) | 43 (12·50–117·41) | 19 (0–57·52) | 10·92 (0–47·53) | § | § | § |
| Basophils (cells/mm3) | 33·60 (18–59·73) | 26·90 (11·76–54·80) | 20 (10·54–49·92) | 0·827‡ | 0·042‡ | 0·196‡ |
Values in parentheses are percentages unless indicated otherwise;
*
values are median (i.q.r.). SOFA, Sequential Organ Failure Score; INR, international normalized ratio.
†
χ2 test, except
‡
Kruskal–Wallis test;
§
absence of P value for χ2 or Kruskal–Wallis test, as appropriate.