title: Mortality in Sepsis and its relationship with Gender.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Sepsis remains a leading cause of death across the world, carrying a mortality rate of 20-50%. Women have been reported to be less likely to suffer from sepsis and to have a lower risk of mortality from sepsis compared to men. The objective of this study was to determine the relationship between gender and mortality in sepsis, and compare cytokine profiles of male and female patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a prospective case series on 97 patients admitted with sepsis. Clinical and microbiological data was gathered, blood samples were collected for cytokine (IL-10, IL-6 and TNFα) levels and patients were followed up for clinical outcome.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 54% males and 46% females, with no significant difference of age or comorbids between genders. Respiratory tract infection was the commonest source of sepsis, and was more common in females (60%) compared to males (39%) (p=0.034). Males had a higher mortality (p=0.048, RR 1.73) and plasma IL-6 level(p=0.040) compared to females. Mean IL-6 plasma level was significantly (p<0.01) higher in patients who died vs. who recovered.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study shows that males with sepsis have a 70% greater mortality rate, and mortality is associated with a higher IL-6 plasma level.
authors.affiliation: Nosheen Nasir, MRCP (UK), FCPS (Pakistan), Department of Medicine, Aga Khan University, P.O Box 3500, Stadium Road, Karachi 74800, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Nosheen
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nasir
authors.affiliation: Bushra Jamil, FRCP (UK), Department of Medicine, Aga Khan University, P.O Box 3500, Stadium Road, Karachi 74800, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Bushra
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jamil
authors.affiliation: Shahla Siddiqui, FCCM, Diplomate American Board of Anesthesiology, Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, 90 Yishun central, Singapore 79688.
authors.forename: Shahla
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Siddiqui
authors.affiliation: Najeeha Talat, PhD, Department of Paediatrics & Child Health and Department of Biological & Biomedical Sciences, Aga Khan University, P.O Box 3500, Stadium Road, Karachi 74800, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Najeeha
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Talat
authors.affiliation: Fauzia A. Khan, FCPS, Department of Anaesthesia, Aga Khan University, P.O Box 3500, Stadium Road, Karachi 74800, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Fauzia A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.affiliation: Rabia Hussain, PhD, FRCPath (UK), Department of Pathology and Microbiology, Aga Khan University, P.O Box 3500, Stadium Road, Karachi 74800, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Rabia
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hussain
keywords: Cytokines; Gender; Interleukin-10; Interleukin-6; Mortality; Sepsis; TNFα