Sepsis

RATIONALE: Mortality caused by septic shock may be determined by a systemic inflammatory response, independent of the inciting infection, but it may also be influenced by the anatomic source of infection. OBJECTIVES: To determine the association between the anatomic source of infection and hospital mortality in critically ill patients who have septic shock. METHODS: This was a retrospective, multicenter cohort study of 7,974 patients who had septic shock in 29 academic and community intensive care units in Canada, the United States, and Saudi Arabia from January 1989 to May 2008...

BACKGROUND: An important element in improving the care of patients with sepsis is early identification and early intervention. Early warning score (EWS) systems allow earlier identification of physiological deterioration. A standardised national EWS (NEWS) has been proposed for use across the National Health Service in the UK. AIM: To determine whether a single NEWS on emergency department (ED) arrival is a predictor of outcome, either in-hospital death within 30 days or intensive care unit (ICU) admission within 2 days, in patients with sepsis...