Second epidemiological study of pediatric sepsis and septic shock in Argentina (ESSPED-2)

ntroduction. Sepsis is one of the leading causes of pediatric mortality in Argentina. The aim was to describe the epidemiological characteristics of sepsis and septic shock (ESSPED-2 study) in pediatric intensive care units (PICUs) in Argentina and compare them with previous data from the Epidemiological Study of Severe Pediatric Sepsis (ESSPED). Population and methods. An observational, cross-sectional, prospective study in patients with sepsis hospitalized in PICUs in Argentina from September 15, 2021, to December 15, 2021. Results. A total of 3230 patients were admitted to 55 PICUs. We included 428 patients who had 476 events. The median age was 17 months (4.2-74.2). The prevalence was 14.7%, and the 28-day mortality rate was 16.5%; 36.7% of patients did not receive antibiotics within the first hour. Receiving more than 60 mL/kg of fluids in the first 60 minutes showed a negative trend in mortality. Patients with comorbidities, septic shock, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), dysfunction of 2 or more organs, and phenotype D had higher mortality. The clinical characteristics and prevalence remained unchanged, whereas the administration of fluids and the use of vasoactive drugs changed, and mortality rates decreased significantly. Conclusions. Sepsis is an event of high prevalence and mortality in Argentina. In the multivariate analysis, the variables lose relevance, except for the presence of dysfunction in 2 or more organs, septic shock, a Pediatric Mortality Index (PMI3) value greater than 15, or being an immunocompromised host.