title: The burden of sepsis in the Emergency Department: an observational snapshot.
abstract: The primary aim of our study was to establish what proportion of patients in the Emergency Department (ED) fulfill the criteria for sepsis. All adult patients presenting to ED in two 1-week periods, 6 months apart, were included. Notes were reviewed retrospectively to identify which patients fulfilled the criteria for sepsis and severe sepsis. The proportion of patients with sepsis was 4.3% (95% confidence interval 3.3-5.2%) and the proportion with severe sepsis was 2.2% (95% confidence interval 1.5-2.8%). In conclusion our results suggest that sepsis is more common than previously reported and this represents a significant burden on ED.
authors.affiliation: aWest Suffolk Hospital, Bury St Edmunds bAddenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, UK.
authors.forename: Sarah L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Cowan
authors.forename: Jonathon A A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Holland
authors.forename: Andrew D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Kane
authors.forename: Ian
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Frost
authors.forename: Adrian A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Boyle
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006769:Hospitals, General; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007362:Intensive Care Units / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D018805:Sepsis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012772:Shock, Septic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult