Predictors of 30-day mortality in medical patients with severe sepsis or septic shock

Objectives. To evaluate independent predictors of 30-day mortality in patients with severe sepsis or septic shock. Background. Severe sepsis and septic shock are associated with increased mortality. Admission APACHE II score is the gold standard for assessing prognosis in critically ill, but several other predictors of mortality have been evaluated. Methods. We retrospectively evaluated clinical and laboratory data in adult patients with severe sepsis or septic shock as predictors of 30-day mortality. Results. Thirty-day mortality was 62.7%. Nonsurvivors in comparison to survivors were significantly more likely to be treated with noradrenalin, renal replacement therapy, mechanically ventilated, to have suffered a fungal infection, had lower admission arterial pH, increased admission Acute Physiology, Age, Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II score and a higher peak lactate level (5.6 ± 6.2 vs 3.1 ± 1.75, p=0.021). Binary logistic regression demonstrated that only peak inhospital serum lactate level was a significant independent predictor of 30-day mortality (OR 1.367, 95% CI 1.041 to 1.795, p=0.025). Conclusion. Only peak in-hospital lactate significantly and independently predicts 30-day mortality in severe sepsis or septic shock medical patients

Successful use of combined blood purification techniques in splenectomised patient with septic shock in streptococcus pneumoniae infection – a case report

Abstract Background Septic cardiomyopathy represents cardiac impairment in sepsis and is a part of systemic involvement in sepsis. Cytokine storm is responsible for septic shock and for myocardial dysfunction of potentially reversible septic cardiomyopathy. Several case reports and case series demonstrated successful removal of circulating cytokines by combined blood purification techniques. In this way, septic shock and survival of septic patients improved. However, the evidences for reversal of myocardial dysfunction are rare. Case presentation We present a patient with a history of chemotherapy for coat cell lymphoma, splenectomy and autologous bone marrow transplantation, who suffered severe pneumococcal sepsis, septic shock and septic cardiomyopathy, resistant to pharmacological therapy. Combined blood purification techniques 36 h after the start of treatment successfully decreased Interleukin-6 level, lactacidosis, the need for vasopressors to maintain normotension, improved systolic function of the left ventricle and clinical outcome. Conclusions Our case suggests that combined blood purification techniques initiated even 36 h after the start of treatment successfully removed inflammatory cytokines, reversed circulatory failure and improved left ventricular systolic function in pneumococcal sepsis