[Study on sepsis in the elderly at Nagoyashi-Koseiin Geriatric Hospital]

A study based on clinical analysis was conducted regarding the 125 episodes in the elderly 112 patients of sepsis who were 70 (average 83.8 +/- 7.5) years old at Nagoyashi-Koseiin Geriatric Hospital from 1985 through 1994. 1) The backgrounds of the elderly patients with sepsis were as follows: bedridden (72.8%), urinary catheter in place (61.2%), central venous catheter in place (48.8%), and prior antibiotic use (40.8%). All patients had an underlying disease. 2) Organisms isolated were Escherichia coli (21.2%), Staphylococcus aureus (18.4%); Coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) (17.4%) and Candida albicans (6.1%). Chronologically, the quantity of gram-positive cocci increased while that of gram-negative bacilli decreased. As the age of the patients increased, the frequency of infections by Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), E. coli, and/or multiple bacteria increased, while that of infections by CNS and gram-negative bacilli excluding E. coli decreased. 3) The primary infected sites were the urinary tract system (24.8%), central venous catheter (21.6%) and unknown (31.2%). 4) The primary clinical observations were fever exceeding 38.0 degrees C (88.0%), tachycardia (60.8%), shivering (44.0%) and cyanosis (32.8%). 5) Complications were multiple organ failure (33.6%), septic shock (26.4%) and disseminated intravascular coagulation (22.4%). 6) The prognosis indicated that 65.6% were survivors, and 34.4% were nonsurvivors. At the onset of sepsis, weight, blood pressure, serum albumin, and total cholesterol in the nonsurvivors were significantly lower than those in the survivors, whereas heart rate, GOT, LDH, and BUN in the nonsurvivors were significantly higher than those in the survivors.