title: Descriptive analysis of sepsis in a developing country.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Most studies on sepsis were conducted in developed countries. The aim of this study is to report on a series of patients with sepsis in a tertiary hospital in a developing country.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients admitted through the emergency department of a single university-based institution between January 2008 and June 2012, with a final diagnosis of sepsis, bacteremia, or septic shock, were retrieved. A sample of 97 patients was selected. Vital signs at presentation, number of SIRS criteria, use of vasopressors and steroids, and in-hospital mortality were recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age was 70.09 ± 16.82, ranging from 19 to 96 years; 48.5 % were females and 51.5 % were males; 42.3 % of the patients were found to be bacteremic. IV fluid requirement during the first 6 h was 1.75 ± 1.96 l. The time for antibiotic initiation was 3.43 ± 4.48 h, with 87.6 % of the antibiotics initiated in the emergency department. Norepinephrine was the most commonly used vasopressor (38.1 %) followed by dopamine (8.2 %), and the inotrope dobutamine (4.1 %); 45.3 % of the patients were admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU), and the remaining 54.7 % were managed on the general practice unit (GPU). A total of 30 (30.9 %) septic patients died. The 28-day mortality was 20.6 %. Deceased patients had greater vasopressor use, a longer stay in the ICU (p = 0.001), and a longer time to norepinephrine use (p = 0.004).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first study providing an in-depth analysis of sepsis patients in a developing country, looking at in-hospital mortality, SIRS criteria utility, and at the overall sepsis management.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon.
authors.forename: Gilbert Abou
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Dagher
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon.
authors.forename: Mothana
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Saadeldine
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon.
authors.forename: Rana
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bachir
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon.
authors.forename: Dina
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zebian
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon.
authors.forename: Ralphe Bou
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Chebl