The epidemiology of sepsis in a Brazilian teaching hospital.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study was to estimate disease incidence and mortality rate of sepsis in a tertiary public hospital.


METHODS
Patients admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) in 2004 and 2005 were monitored for sepsis using an observational longitudinal study design. Patients were monitored daily for diagnostic criteria of sepsis, according to ACCP/SCCM Consensus Conference criteria, until either death or hospital discharge.


RESULTS
During the study, we analyzed 1,179 patients. Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (SIRS) was present in 1,048 (88.9%) patients on admission, and was associated with infection in 554 (47.0%) patients. Of these, sepsis was diagnosed in 30 (2.5%) patients, while severe sepsis was diagnosed in 269 (22.8%) patients, and septic shock was diagnosed in 255 (21.6%) patients. APACHE II and SOFA scores were higher in septic patients (p < 0.001), and the ensuing mortality rates were 32.8% (IC 95%: 21.6-45.7%) for patients with sepsis, 49.9% (IC 95%: 44.5-55.2%) for severe sepsis, and 72.7% (IC 95%: 68.1-76.9%) for septic shock.


CONCLUSIONS
The data from our study revealed a high incidence of sepsis among hospitalized patients. Moreover, sepsis patients had a high rate of mortality.
Kauss
I A M
IA
Physiotherapy Department, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Paraná, Brazil.
Grion
Cintia M C
CM
Cardoso
L T Q
LT
Anami
E H T
EH
Nunes
L B
LB
Ferreira
G L
GL
Matsuo
T
T
Bonametti
A M
AM
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006785:Hospitals, University / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007362:Intensive Care Units / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018805:Sepsis / Q000401:mortality*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012772:Shock, Septic / Q000401:mortality