Sepsis in the Emergency Department: Different Faces, Same Fate? A Sex-Based Prognostic Analysis

Area of Science:

• Critical Care Medicine
• Sepsis Pathophysiology
• Sex-Based Medicine

Background:

• Sepsis affects millions globally, with significant mortality.
• Understanding sex-specific differences in sepsis is crucial for targeted treatment.
• Previous studies suggest potential disparities in sepsis presentation and outcomes between males and females.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare clinical characteristics of male and female sepsis patients.
• To investigate sex-specific differences in the prognostic impact of sepsis.
• To analyze mortality rates and predictors in a diverse sepsis cohort.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 1527 sepsis patients admitted to an Emergency Department High-Dependency Unit.
• Data collection included demographics, sepsis source, and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) scores.
• Primary endpoints were day-7 and day-28 mortality rates.

Main Results:

• Women were older and had a lower prevalence of cancer compared to men.
• Men more frequently presented with pulmonary or abdominal sepsis sources.
• Despite lower SOFA scores in women, day-7 and day-28 mortality rates were similar between sexes (11% and 22%, respectively).

Conclusions:

• Male and female sepsis patients share similar short- and medium-term mortality rates.
• Sex-specific differences in clinical presentation do not translate to disparate outcomes.
• Independent predictors of mortality were identified for both sexes, underscoring the need for comprehensive sepsis management.