title: Epidemiology of sepsis in Colombian intensive care units.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Currently, there is not enough data available concerning sepsis in developing countries, especially in Latin America.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We developed a study aimed at determining the frequency, clinical and epidemiological characteristics, and the consequences of sepsis in patients requiring admission to intensive care units in Colombia.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a secondary analysis of a prospective cohort study carried out over a six-month period, from September 1, 2007, to February 28, 2008, in ten medical/surgical intensive care units in four Colombian cities. Patients were considered eligible if they had a probable or confirmed diagnosis of infection according to medical records. We recorded demographic characteristics, first admission diagnosis and co-morbidities, clinical status, and sepsis, severe sepsis or septic shock.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During the study period, 826 patients were admitted to the intensive care units. From these patients, 421 (51%) developed sepsis in the community, 361 (44%) in the ICU, and 44 (5%) during hospitalization in the general ward. Two hundred and fifty three patients (30.6%) had involvement of one organ system: 20% had respiratory involvement, followed by kidney and central nervous system involvement with 3.4% and 2.7%, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In our cohort of septic patients, the prevalence of sepsis treated in ICU is similar to that reported in other studies, as well as the overall mortality.
authors: Departamento de Cuidado Intensivo, Hospital Santa Clara, Bogotá, D.C, Colombia.
authors: Guillermo
authors: G
authors: Ortíz
authors: Departamento de Cuidado Intensivo, Hospital Bocagrande, Cartagena, Colombia.
authors: Carmelo
authors: C
authors: Dueñas
authors: Departamento de Medicina Interna, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia.
authors: Ferney
authors: F
authors: Rodríguez
authors: Departamento de Epidemiología, Universidad del Valle, Cali, Cali, Colombia.
authors: Lena
authors: L
authors: Barrera
authors: Departamento de Cuidado Intensivo, Hospital Pablo Tobón Uribe, Medellín, Colombia.
authors: Gisela
authors: G
authors: de La Rosa
authors: Departamento de Medicina Interna, Fundación Cardio-Infantil, Bogotá, D.C, Colombia.
authors: Rodolfo
authors: R
authors: Dennis
authors: Departamento de Cuidado Intensivo, Fundación Valle de Lili, Cali, Cali, Colombia.
authors: Marcela
authors: M
authors: Granados
authors: Departamento de Cuidado Intensivo, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, D.C, Colombia.
authors: Darío
authors: D
authors: Londoño
authors: Departamento de Cuidado Intensivo, Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana.
authors: Francisco
authors: F
authors: Molina
authors: Departamento de Cuidado Intensivo, Universidad de Antioquia.
authors: Fabián
authors: F
authors: Jaimes
mesh_terms: D003105:Colombia / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018805:Sepsis / Q000453:epidemiology*