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BACKGROUND: Severe sepsis and septic shock are associated with high mortality rates. Data on sepsis outcome from Scandinavian countries are sparse. The aim of this study was to examine the length of stay (LOS) in the ICU, ICU mortality and costs of care for adult patients with primary sepsis in a university hospital in northern Sweden.

METHODS: We performed a retrospective data analysis of records of 92 patients admitted over a 3-year period, under the diagnosis of sepsis or urosepsis. Demographic data, admission category, APACHE II score, aetiology and severity of sepsis, ICU LOS, mortality and TISS were analyzed.

RESULTS: Eighty-one adult patients were identified by standard definitions as suffering from sepsis. The median ICU length of stay was 4.2 days, 6 days for survivors and 2.1 days for non-survivors. Thirteen out of 20 deaths occurred within the first 3 days after admission. Overall ICU mortality rate was 24.7% while the ICU mortality for patients with septic shock was 57.7%. The mean costs of care for patients with sepsis were 3139 Euros day(-1) and the cost of care per patient surviving sepsis was 38,494 Euros.

CONCLUSION: The incidence of primary sepsis in our ICU was low. Previous reports on high mortality in association with severe sepsis and septic shock are valid also at our hospital. The ICU-LOS was shorter than previously reported, while our costs of care were in the same range as stated by others. This retrospective analysis is valid for interpretation of the applicability of currently available sepsis therapies.

Background: Controversy exists regarding the influence of gender on sepsis events and out­come. Epidemiological data from other countries may not always apply to local circum­stances.  The aim of this study was to identify gender differences in patient characteristics, treatment and outcome related to the occurrence of sepsis at admission to the ICU.

Methods: A prospective observational cohort study on patients admitted to the ICU over a three-year period fulfilling sepsis criteria during the first 24 hours. Demographic data, APACHE II score, SOFA score, TISS 76, aetiology, length of stay (LOS), mortality rate and aspects of treatment were collected and then analysed with respect to gender differences.

Results: There were no gender related differences in mortality or length of stay. Early organ dysfunction assessed as SOFA score at admission was a stronger risk factor for hospital mor­tality for women than for men. This discrepancy was mainly associated with the coagulation sub score. CRP-levels differed between genders in relation to hospital mortality. Infection from the abdominopelvic region was more common among women whereas infection from skin or skin structures were more common in men.

Conclusion: In this cohort, gender was not associated with increased mortality during a two year follow up period.  SOFA score at ICU-admission was a stronger risk factor for hospital mortality for women than for men. The discrepancy was mainly related to the coagulation SOFA sub score. Together with differences in CRP-levels this may suggest differences in inflammatory response patterns between genders.

Objective: To determine if levels of the adipocyte-derived hormones leptin and adiponectin (adipokines) predict sepsis development and if intra-individual changes in circulating levels from baseline to the acute phase affect outcome.

Method: A nested case-referent study within the framework of the Northern Sweden Health and Disease Study (NSHDS) and the Northern Sweden Maternity Cohort (NSMC). Patients aged 18 years or more with documented sepsis within 24 hours after admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) were included if they had participated in a health survey and donated blood samples prior to the sepsis event, and if possible also had stored plasma from the acute phase. Two matched referents free of known sepsis were selected for each case. Baseline and acute phase plasma leptin and adiponectin levels were determined. The associations between adipokines and sepsis and its severity and outcome were determined.

Results: We identified 57 men and 97 women with a first-time sepsis event 6.5 years (median with IQR 7.7) after participation in the health survey, and 83% of them had also samples from the acute septic phase. Hyperleptinemia associated with a future sepsis event (OR 1.77, 95% CI 1.04-3.00, P=0.03), with stronger associations with severe sepsis and septic shock than with sepsis. High leptin levels were also associated with hospital death in the fully adjusted model. Leptin remained associated with sepsis in men (P=0.02), but not in women (P=0.36), after stratification and adjustment for BMI. In the acute phase, leptin increased more in men than in women (P=0.001), and high leptin levels were associated with increased risk for in-hospital death in women (OR 4.18, 95%CI 1.17-15.00, P=0.03), while being protective in men (OR 0.05, 95% CI 0.01-0.48, P=0.01). Adiponectin did not associate with sepsis or outcome.

Conclusions: Hyperleptinemia independently predicted the development of sepsis, and an unfavourable outcome in men. Adiponectin was not associated with sepsis development.

Objective: To determine if levels of mannose-binding lectin (MBL) predict sepsis development and if intra-individual changes in circulating levels from baseline to the acute septic phase associate with in-hospital mortality.

Method: A nested case-referent study within the framework of the Northern Sweden Health and Disease Study (NSHDS) and the Northern Sweden Maternity Cohort (NSMC). Patients aged 18 years or more with documented sepsis within 24 hours after admission to the intensive care unit were included if they had participated in a health survey and donated blood samples prior to the sepsis event. A subset of these patients had stored plasma also from the acute phase. Two matched referents free of known sepsis were selected for each case. Baseline and acute phase plasma MBL levels were determined. The association between MBL and sepsis, sepsis severity and in-hospital mortality were determined.

Results: We identified 57 men and 95 women with a first-time sepsis event 6.5 years (median with IQR 7.7) after participation in a health survey, of which 127 also had samples from the acute septic phase. High baseline levels predicted future sepsis (OR 1.81, 95% CI 1.01-3.26), but were not associated with severity of sepsis or in-hospital fatality. Both high MBL levels in the acute phase (OR 4.94, 95% CI 1.44-16.89), and an increase from base line to the acute phase (OR 3.67, 95% CI 1.19-11.28) were associated with increased risk for in-hospital death in women, but not in men (OR 0.71, 95% CI 0.18-2.88). Low levels at baseline were not associated with future sepsis. Neither low levels at baseline, nor in the acute phase were associated with sepsis severity or in-hospital mortality.

Conclusions: High pre-sepsis levels predicted a future sepsis event, and an increase from baseline to the acute phase as well as high levels in the acute phase associated with an unfavourable outcome in women.