Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 16, 2026
Characterizing Salmonella Typhimurium-induced Septic Peritonitis in Mice
Published on: July 29, 2022
Culture-Negative Septic Shock Compared With Culture-Positive Septic Shock: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Shravan Kethireddy1,2, Beliz Bilgili3, Amanda Sees4
1The Departments of Critical Care Medicine, Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, PA.
Objectives:
To determine the clinical characteristics and outcomes of culture-negative septic shock in comparison with culture-positive septic shock.
Design:
Retrospective nested cohort study.
Setting:
ICUs of 28 academic and community hospitals in three countries between 1997 and 2010.
Subjects:
Patients with culture-negative septic shock and culture-positive septic shock derived from a trinational (n = 8,670) database of patients with septic shock.
Interventions:
None.
Measurements And Main Results:
Patients with culture-negative septic shock (n = 2,651; 30.6%) and culture-positive septic shock (n = 6,019; 69.4%) were identified. Culture-negative septic shock compared with culture-positive septic shock patients experienced similar ICU survival (58.3% vs 59.5%; p = 0.276) and overall hospital survival (47.3% vs 47.1%; p = 0.976). Severity of illness was similar between culture-negative septic shock and culture-positive septic shock groups ([mean and SD Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II, 25.7 ± 8.3 vs 25.7 ± 8.1]; p = 0.723) as were serum lactate levels (3.0 [interquartile range, 1.7-6.1] vs 3.2 mmol/L [interquartile range, 1.8-5.9 mmol/L]; p = 0.366). As delays in the administration of appropriate antimicrobial therapy after the onset of hypotension increased, patients in both groups experienced congruent increases in overall hospital mortality: culture-negative septic shock (odds ratio, 1.56; 95% CI [1.47-1.66]; p < 0.0001) and culture-positive septic shock (odds ratio, 1.65; 95% CI [1.59-1.71]; p < 0.0001).
Conclusions:
Patients with culture-negative septic shock behave similarly to those with culture-positive septic shock in nearly all respects; early appropriate antimicrobial therapy appears to improve mortality. Early recognition and eradication of infection is the most obvious effective strategy to improve hospital survival.
Related Concept Videos
01:16Shock Waves
When the source's speed approaches the speed of sound, constructive interference between successive wavefronts emitted by the source occurs immediately behind it. Initially, scientists believed that this constructive interference would result in such high...
00:58Positive, Negative, and Zero Work
01:24Blood Pressure Imbalances and Circulatory Shock
Blood Pressure: Hypertension and Hypotension
Normal blood pressure is 120/80 mm Hg. Elevated blood pressure is 120-129/under 80 mm Hg. Hypertension, warranting treatment at 130/80 mm Hg, is often asymptomatic and can lead to severe cardiovascular events, aneurysms, peripheral arterial disease, chronic renal disease, or cardiac...
01:18Positive and Negative Feedback Loops
01:20Sputum Studies II: Culture and Sensitivity
Sputum culture and sensitivity is a medical procedure used to diagnose bacterial infections in the respiratory tract and select the most appropriate antibiotics for treatment. This process involves analyzing sputum samples of thick and opaque secretions produced in the lungs and airways. These samples are collected from patients and then sent to the laboratory for analysis.
The test can identify various pathogens responsible for respiratory infections, including Streptococcus,...
01:26Urine Studies II: Urine Culture and Sensitivity Test