The Baltimore Sepsis Scale: measurement of sepsis in patients with burns using a new scoring system.
A new sepsis scale has been developed, and it consists of 13 parameters, each of which is measured daily on a variable point scale. In 41 patients with major burns the Baltimore Sepsis scale correlated well with death or survival, with occurrence of septicemia, and with the level of serum interleukin-6. It did not correlate well with the level of plasma endotoxin or with the type of organism that was grown in blood cultures (gram-positive or gram-negative). We propose that the Baltimore Sepsis Scale would be an accurate and easy scale to use for the measurement of interventions that are aimed at improving the septic state.
Meek
M
M
Baltimore Regional Burn Center, Francis Scott Key Medical Center, Baltimore, MD 21224.
Munster
A M
AM
Winchurch
R A
RA
Dickerson
C
C
D002056:Burns / Q000150:complications*; D004731:Endotoxins / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000032:analysis; D011112:Polymyxin B / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018805:Sepsis / Q000145:classification / Q000453:epidemiology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014946:Wound Infection / Q000145:classification* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology
D004731:Endotoxins; D015850:Interleukin-6; D011112:Polymyxin B