Background: Severe sepsis (SS) is the leading cause of death in the Intensive Care Units (ICU).
Aim: To study the prevalence of SS in Chilean ICUs.
Material and methods: An observational, cross-sectional study using a predesigned written survey was done in all ICUs of Chile on April 21st, 2004. General hospital and ICU data and the number of hospitalized patients in the hospital and in the ICU at the survey day, were recorded. Patients were followed for 28 days.
Results: Ninety four percent of ICUs participated in the survey. The ICU occupation index was 66%. Mean age of patients was 57.7+/-18 years and 59% were male, APACHE II score was 15+/-7.5 and SOFA score was 6+/-4. SS was the admission diagnosis of 94 of the 283 patients (33%) and 38 patients presented SS after admission. On the survey day, 112 patients fulfilled SS criteria (40%). APACHE II and SOFA scores were significantly higher in SS patients than in non SS patients. Global case-fatality ratio at 28 days was 15.9% (45/283). Case-fatality ratio in patients with or without SS at the moment of the survey was 26.7% (30/112) and 8.7% (17/171), respectively p <0.05. Thirteen percent of patients who developed SS after admission, died. Case-fatality ratios for patients with SS from Santiago and the other cities were similar, but APACHE II score was significantly higher in patients from Santiago. In SS patients, the independent predictors of mortality were SS as cause of hospital admission, APACHE II and SOFA scores. Ninety nine percent of SS patients had a known sepsis focus (48% respiratory and 30% abdominal). Eighty five patients that presented SS after admission, had a respiratory focus.
Conclusions: SS is highly prevalent in Chilean ICUs and represents the leading diagnosis at admission. SS as cause of hospitalization, APACHE II and SOFA scores were independent predictors of mortality.