Outcomes of Patients With Sepsis and Septic Shock Requiring Source Control: A Prospective Observational Single-Center...

Area of Science:

• Critical Care Medicine
• Infectious Diseases
• Surgical Critical Care

Background:

• Septic shock management necessitates effective source control.
• The timing of source control intervention in septic shock is a critical factor influencing patient outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare outcomes between septic shock patients requiring source control and those managed medically.
• To evaluate the impact of early versus late source control on clinical outcomes in septic shock.

Main Methods:

• Prospective observational study conducted in a medical ICU from February 2020 to March 2021.
• Included 205 adult ICU patients with sepsis and septic shock.
• Compared outcomes between medical management and source control groups, and analyzed early (<24 hours) vs. late (≥24 hours) source control.

Main Results:

• No significant differences in 30-day or ICU mortality were observed between medical and source control groups, or between early and late source control.
• Patients undergoing source control had longer ICU and hospital lengths of stay (LOS) compared to the medical group.
• Delayed source control (≥24 hours) was associated with significantly longer ICU and hospital LOS than early source control (<24 hours).

Conclusions:

• While mortality rates were similar, delayed source control in septic shock patients led to increased ICU and hospital lengths of stay.
• Early source control intervention appears to optimize healthcare resource utilization in patients with septic shock.