The Outcome of Sepsis Patients Admitted to the Surgical Intensive Care Unit

Although sepsis is one of the leading causes of mortality in hospitalized patients, information regarding early predictive factors for mortality and morbidity is limited. The main objective of this study was to identify the outcome of patients with sepsis and septic shock.

A prospective observational study was done in a surgical ICU over a period of one year. We included all adult patients admitted to ICU with features of sepsis and septic shock. Data related to demography, co-existing illnesses, parameters to assess Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) scores, other relevant laboratory data, source of infection, organ failures and supportive measures instituted were recorded. Patients were followed till discharge or death from the ICU.

160 patients were included in this study. The mortality rate was significantly higher among females compared with males. The most common co-existing illnesses were hypertension and type II diabetes mellitus. The SOFA scores at admission were high among non-survivors. Older age, presence of anaemia (defined as haemoglobin less than 13 g/dL in males and 12 g/dL in females), renal dysfunction (creatinine level more than 1.3 g/dL), and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) were associated with higher mortality. Haematocrit, total leucocyte count, serum bilirubin and SOFA scores were significantly higher among non-survivors.

Our findings suggest that septic shock occurs frequently in ICU patients and mortality remains high. Several critical scoring systems are useful for the early prediction of mortality. A sepsis mortality based on SOFA scores and haemoglobin has greater predictive power.