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Updated: Oct 17, 2026

Endotoxin Activity Assay for the Detection of Whole Blood Endotoxemia in Critically Ill Patients
Published on: June 24, 2019
Septic shock without documented infection: an uncommon entity with a high mortality
W J Reyes1, S Brimioulle, J L Vincent
1Dept of Intensive Care, Erasme University Hospital, Free University of Brussels, Belgium.
Objectives:
To determine whether patients with clinically identified infection have the same outcome as patients with apparent sepsis but no identified infectious source.
Design:
Retrospective analysis of patient data.
Patients:
All patients treated with septic shock in a 31-bed intensive care unit (ICU) over a 3-year period.
Results:
Data from 227 patients were analysed. Eighty-seven percent had a clinically identified source of infection. ICU mortality was higher in septic shock patients without a clinically identified source of infection than in those with an identified source of infection (86% versus 66%, p < 0.05).
Conclusions:
A small number of patients presenting with septic shock have no clinically identified infection. These patients have a higher mortality rate than patients in whom an infection is identified.
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