title: Is hyperchloremia associated with mortality in critically ill patients? A prospective cohort study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study was to determine if acid-base variables are associated with hospital mortality.
  
  
  METHODS
  This prospective cohort study took place in a university-affiliated hospital intensive care unit (ICU). One hundred seventy-five patients admitted to the ICU during the period of February to May 2007 were included in the study. We recorded clinical data and acid-base variables from all patients at ICU admission. A logistic regression model was constructed using Sepsis-related Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score, age, and the acid-base variables.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Individually, none of the variables appear to be good predictors of hospital mortality. However, using the multivariate stepwise logistic regression, we had a model with good discrimination containing SOFA score, age, chloride, and albumin (area under receiver operating characteristic curve, 0.80; 95% confidence interval, 0.73-0.87).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Hypoalbuminemia and hyperchloremia were associated with mortality. This result involving chloride is something new and should be tested in future studies.
authors.affiliation: Critical Care Department, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Brazil. marciobt@terra.com.br
authors.forename: Márcio M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Boniatti
authors.forename: Paulo R C
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Cardoso
authors.forename: Rodrigo K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Castilho
authors.forename: Silvia R R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Vieira
mesh_terms: D000136:Acid-Base Equilibrium; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D002713:Chlorine / Q000097:blood*; D016638:Critical Illness / Q000401:mortality*; D005260:Female; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006785:Hospitals, University / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011445:Prospective Payment System; D018805:Sepsis / Q000097:blood* / Q000401:mortality*; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D012709:Serum Albumin; D002713:Chlorine