Prognosis and Risk Factors of Sepsis Patients in Chinese ICUs: A Retrospective Analysis of a Cohort Database

BACKGROUND: Sepsis-3 proposed a new definition of septic shock that excluded patients without hyperlactacidemia. The data from China might help to elucidate the prognosis of this special patient group. OBJECTIVE: To study the clinical prognosis and factors affecting patients with sepsis based on data from Chinese intensive care units (ICUs). METHODS: We conducted a retrospective, multicentre observational study in a larger Chinese cohort from January 1, 2014 to August 31, 2015. The patients were divided into four groups according to the presence or absence of hypotension/vasopressor delivery and hyperlactacidemia after fluid resuscitation. Descriptive statistics for the clinical characteristics were presented. The differences between groups were assessed. A survival curve was then plotted using the Kaplan-Meier method. Finally, to better understand the risk factors for the 28-day hospital mortality rates, Cox regression analysis was performed. RESULTS: In total, 1,194 patients with sepsis were included: 282 with hypotension and hyperlactacidemia, 250 with hypotension but without hyperlactacidemia, 161 with hyperlactacidemia but without hypotension, and 501 without hypotension and hyperlactacidemia. The 28-day mortality rates of the four groups were 48.2%, 43.2%, 26.1%, and 24.8%, respectively. Age, the Acute Physiology And Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II score, hyperlactacidemia, hypotension, intra-abdominal infection, and cancer increased the risk of the 28-day mortality, while soft tissue infection and coming from the operating room were associated with a decreased risk of mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with hypotension but without hyperlactacidemia in the ICU also show a high 28-day mortality, and some clinical factors may affect their prognosis and must be treated carefully in the future.