title: Septicemia in adults: II. Factors in prognosis.
abstract: Over the period of 2 months between October and November, 1987, 190 episodes of septicemia in adults were monitored at Veterans General Hospital-Taipei. The most common causative microorganisms were Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus. The most frequent sources of infection came from intra-abdominal (gastro-intestinal as well as hepato-biliary), urinary and respiratory tract. Its overall mortality was 34.7%. Factors associated with a higher mortality from septicemia were old age, rapidly fatal underlying disease, hospital acquired infection, hypothermia, hypotension/shock, high-risk source of infection (from respiratory tract, skin/soft tissue, surgical wound or other unknown source), high-risk microorganisms (Candida species, Ps. aeruginosa or K. Pneumoniae) and inappropriate antimicrobial therapy. Identification of these factors may help early correction of reversible factors and improve its prognosis.
authors.forename: F D
authors.initials: FD
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: L S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: C Y
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: R W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Duh
authors.forename: I K
authors.initials: IK
authors.lastname: Tsai
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D018805:Sepsis / Q000401:mortality*