Extracellular Water to Total Body Water Ratio in Septic Shock Patients Receiving Protocol-Driven Resuscitation Bundle Therapy

(1) Bio-electrical impedance analysis (BIA) is a rapid, simple, and noninvasive tool for evaluating the metabolic status and for assessing volume status in critically ill patients. Little is known, however, the prognostic value of body composition analysis in septic shock patients. This study assessed the association between parameters by body composition analysis and mortality in patients with septic shock in the emergency department (ED). (2) Data were prospectively collected on adult patients with septic shock who underwent protocol-driven resuscitation bundle therapy between December 2019 and January 2021. The primary outcome was 30-day mortality. (3) The study included 261 patients, the average ratio of extracellular water (ECW) to total body water (TBW) was significantly higher in non-survivors than in survivors (0.414 vs. 0.401, p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that ECW/TBW ≥ 0.41 (odds ratio (OR), 4.62; 95% confidence interval (CI), 2.31–9.26, p < 0.001), altered mental status (OR, 2.88; 95% CI, 1.28–6.46, p = 0.010), and lactate level (OR, 1.24; 95% CI, 1.12–1.37, p < 0.001) were significantly associated with 30-day mortality in patients with septic shock. (4) ECW/TBW ≥ 0.41 may be associated with 30-day mortality in patients with septic shock receiving protocol-driven resuscitation bundle therapy in the ED.

Body Composition Analysis in Septic Shock Patients Receiving Protocol-Driven Resuscitation Bundle Therapy: A Prospective Observational Study

Background: Bio-electrical impedance analysis (BIA) is a rapid, simple, and noninvasive tool for assessing volume status in various diseases. Body composition analysis using BIA may identify factors associated with poor outcomes in critically ill patients. Little is known, however, about the relationship between the results of body composition analysis in the emergency department (ED) and mortality in septic shock patients.Objectives: This study assessed the association between parameters identified by body composition analysis and mortality in patients with septic shock who underwent protocol-driven resuscitation bundle therapy in the ED.Methods: Data were prospectively collected on adult patients with septic shock who underwent protocol-driven resuscitation bundle therapy between December 2019 and December 2020. Body composition was determined in the ED using BIA with the patient in the supine position. Septic shock was defined by sepsis-3 criteria, and the primary outcome was 30-day mortality. Results: The study included 218 patients, of whom 58 (26.6%) died within 30 days. The mean time from ED admission to the measurement of body composition was 5.4 hours. The average ratio of extracellular water (ECW) to total body water (TBW) was significantly higher in non-survivors than in survivors (0.412 vs. 0.400, p=0.001). The optimal ECW/TBW cutoff for predicting 30-day mortality was 0.40, with mortality rates being significantly higher in patients with ECW/TBW >0.4 than in patients with ECW/TBW≦0.4 (37.8% vs. 17.5%, p=0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that ECW/TBW >0.4 (odds ratio [OR], 2.11; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.05–4.23, p = 0.036), active cancer (OR, 2.39; 95% CI, 1.06–5.38, p=0.036), prothrombin time (OR, 2.77; 95% CI, 1.29–5.93, p=0.009), and initial lactate level (OR, 1.15; 95% CI, 1.03–1.28, p=0.010) were significantly associated with 30-day mortality.Conclusions: The ECW/TBW>0.40 is the only body composition parameter associated with 30-day mortality in patients with septic shock.

Use of quick sequential organ failure assessment score-based sepsis clinical decision support system may be helpful to predict sepsis development

Objectives: A sepsis clinical decision support system (CDSS) can facilitate quicker sepsis detection and treatment and consequently improve outcomes. We developed a qSOFA-based sepsis CDSS and evaluated its impact on compliance with a 3-hour resuscitation bundle for patients with sepsis. Methods: This before-and-after study included consecutive adult patients with suspected infection and qSOFA scores of ≥ 2 at their emergency department (ED) presentation of a tertiary care hospital. Sepsis was defined according to the Sepsis-3 criteria. We evaluated the 3-hour resuscitation bundle compliance rate for control patients from July through August 2016, for patients using the qSOFA-based sepsis CDSS from September through December 2016, and the impact of the system using multivariable logistic regression analysis. Results: Of 306 patients with suspected infection and positive qSOFA scores at presentation, 265 patients (86.6%) developed sepsis (including 71 patients with septic shock). The 3-hour resuscitation bundle compliance rate did not differ significantly between the patients before and after the routine implementation of the qSOFA-based sepsis CDSS (63.7% vs. 52.6%; P = 0.071). Multivariate analysis showed that age (AOR [adjusted odds ratio], 1.033; P = 0.002) and body temperature (AOR, 1.677; P < 0.001) were associated with bundle compliance. Conclusions: Among patients with a positive qSOFA score at presentation, sepsis developed in 86.6%, which means the qSOFA-based sepsis CDSS may be helpful; however, it was not associated with improved bundle compliance. Future quality improvement studies with multifactorial, hospital-wide approaches using sepsis CDSS tools are warranted.

Impact of 1-Hour Bundle Achievement in Septic Shock

Background: Evidence supporting the association between 1-hour bundle achievement and patient outcomes is limited and inconsistent. Hence, this study aimed to address the impact of 1-hour bundle achievement on outcomes in septic shock patients.Methods: A prospective multicentre observational study of septic shock patients with a protocolised resuscitation bundle therapy at emergency departments was conducted from October 2015 to December 2018. In-hospital mortality according to 1-hour bundle achievement from shock recognition were compared using multivariable logistic regression analysis. Patients were also divided into six groups according to the time of bundle achievement and outcomes were compared to examine the difference in outcome for each group over time: group 1 (≤1 h; reference), 2 (1–2 h), 3 (2–3 h), 4 (3–4 h), 5 (4–5 h), and 6 (5–6 h). Results: In total, 1,612 patients with septic shock were included and in-hospital mortality was 18.2%. The 1-hour bundle was achieved in 461 (28.6%) patients. In multivariate analysis, the group achieving 1-hour bundle did not show a significant difference in in-hospital mortality compared to those who did not achieve 1-hour bundle (odds ratio = 0.74, confidence interval: 0.522–1.049, p = 0.091). However, groups 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 showed significantly lower odds ratios of in-hospital mortality compared to those who did not achieve the bundle elements (odds ratio = 0.733, 0.604, 0.541, 0.532, and 0.458, respectively; p = 0.042, 0.001, < 0.001, 0.001, and < 0.001, respectively). There was no significant difference in in-hospital mortality over time for each group compared to that of group 1 used as a reference.Conclusion: One-hour bundle achievement was not associated with improved outcomes in septic shock patients with protocolised resuscitation bundle therapy. However, groups achieving 2-, 3-, 4-, 5-, and 6-hour bundle were associated more with improved outcome than those who did not. Further clinical trials are needed to clarify the clinical implications of 1-hour bundle achievement.

Risk Factors for Same Pathogen Sepsis Readmission Following Hospitalization for Septic Shock

(1) Background: Septic shock survivors frequently readmit because of subsequent infection. This study aimed to determine the rate and risk factors for same pathogen sepsis readmissions following hospitalization for septic shock. (2) Methods: We performed this retrospective study using data from a prospective septic shock registry at a single urban tertiary center. All the patients were treated with a protocol-driven resuscitation bundle therapy between 2011 and 2016. We collected data from adult (older than 18 years) patients readmitted with sepsis within 90 days of discharge following hospitalization for septic shock. (3) Results: Among 2062 septic shock patients, 690 were readmitted within 90 days of discharge. After excluding scheduled and non-sepsis admissions, we analyzed the data from 274 (13.3%) patients readmitted for sepsis. Most of the readmissions following septic shock were new infections rather than relapses of the initial infection. The culture-negative rate was 51.4% (141/274), while the same pathogen was isolated in 25% of cases (69/274). Multivariate analysis revealed that previous gram-negative bacteremia (OR, 9.902; 95% CI, 2.843–34.489), urinary tract infection (OR, 4.331; 95% CI, 1.723–10.882) and same site infection (OR, 6.894; 95% CI, 2.390–19.886) were significantly associated with readmission for sepsis caused by the same pathogen. (4) Conclusions: The sepsis readmission rate following the previous hospitalization for septic shock was 13.3% and one-quarter of those patients had the same pathogen isolated. Previous gram-negative bacteremia, and/or same site infection are predisposing factors for recurrent same-pathogen sepsis.