Decoding Sepsis: A 16-Year Retrospective Analysis of Activation Patterns, Mortality Predictors, and Outcomes from a...

Area of Science:

• Critical Care Medicine
• Hospital Administration
• Public Health

Background:

• Sepsis is a primary cause of hospital mortality.
• Evaluating long-term sepsis protocol impact is crucial for patient outcomes.
• A 16-year analysis provides insights into sepsis management evolution.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the effectiveness of a hospital-wide sepsis protocol.
• To analyze patient characteristics and outcomes over 16 years.
• To identify predictors of mortality and resource utilization trends.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective cohort study of sepsis protocol activations (2006-2022).
• Inclusion criteria: ≥2 SIRS criteria + organ dysfunction in patients >14 years.
• Analysis included demographics, criteria, location, mortality predictors, and resource use.

Main Results:

• 10,919 patients with 14,546 activations; median age 69, 60.9% male.
• Mortality decreased from 26.5% to 13.6% (p < 0.01).
• Key predictors: hyperlactatemia, altered consciousness, hypotension, leukopenia. ICU admissions dropped from 58% to 24%.

Conclusions:

• Comprehensive hospital-wide sepsis protocols achieve sustained mortality reduction.
• Improved resource utilization efficiency observed over the study period.
• Implementing such protocols is an effective strategy for enhancing sepsis care.