title: Late recognition and illness severity are determinants of early death in severe septic patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify the independent variables associated with death within 4 days after the first sepsis-induced organ dysfunction.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this prospective observational study, severe sepsis and septic shock patients were classified into 3 groups: Group 1, survivors; Group 2, late non-survivors; and Group 3, early non-survivors. Early death was defined as death occurring within 4 days after the first sepsis-induced organ dysfunction. Demographic, clinical and laboratory data were collected and submitted to univariate and multinomial analyses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study included 414 patients: 218 (52.7%) in Group 1, 165 (39.8%) in Group 2, and 31 (7.5%) in Group 3. A multinomial logistic regression analysis showed that age, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score, Sepsis-related Organ Failure Assessment score after the first 24 hours, nosocomial infection, hepatic dysfunction, and the time elapsed between the onset of organ dysfunction and the sepsis diagnosis were associated with early mortality. In contrast, Black race and a source of infection other than the urinary tract were associated with late death. Among the non-survivors, early death was associated with Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score, chronic renal failure, hepatic dysfunction Sepsis-related Organ Failure Assessment score after 24 hours, and the duration of organ dysfunction.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Factors related to patients' intrinsic characteristics and disease severity as well as the promptness of sepsis recognition are associated with early death among severe septic patients.
authors.affiliation: Federal University of São Paulo, Department of Anesthesiology, Pain and Critical Care, São Paulo SP, Brazil. fmachado.dcir@epm.br
authors.forename: Flavia R
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Machado
authors.forename: Reinaldo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Salomão
authors.forename: Otelo
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Rigato
authors.forename: Elaine M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.forename: Guilherme
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Schettino
authors.forename: Tatiane
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mohovic
authors.forename: Carla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Isac
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Castro
authors.forename: Eliezer
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Silva
mesh_terms: D018806:APACHE; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D057210:Delayed Diagnosis / Q000401:mortality; D005260:Female; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D063305:Organ Dysfunction Scores; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D018805:Sepsis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index