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Scandinavian Journal of Trauma, Resuscitation and Emergency Medicine

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Open Access 01-12-2009 | Original research

The Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (SIRS) in acutely hospitalised medical patients: a cohort study

Authors: Pål Comstedt, Merete Storgaard, Annmarie T Lassen

Published in: Scandinavian Journal of Trauma, Resuscitation and Emergency Medicine | Issue 1/2009

Abstract

Background

Sepsis is an infection which has evoked a systemic inflammatory response. Clinically, the Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (SIRS) is identified by two or more symptoms including fever or hypothermia, tachycardia, tachypnoea and change in blood leucocyte count. The relationship between SIRS symptoms and morbidity and mortality in medical emergency ward patients is unknown.

Methods

We conducted a prospective cohort study of the frequency of SIRS and its relationship to sepsis and death among acutely hospitalised medical patients. In 437 consecutive patients, SIRS status, blood pressure, infection and comorbidity on admission was registered together with 28-day mortality.

Results

A hundred and fifty-four patients (35%) had SIRS on admission, 211 patients (48%) had no SIRS, and 72 patients (16%) had insufficient data to evaluate their SIRS status. SIRS patients were 2.2 times more frequently infected, with 66/154 SIRS patients versus 41/211 non-SIRS patients: p < 0.001, relative risk (RR) 2.2 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.6-3.1), and they had a 6.9 times higher 28-day mortality than non-SIRS patients with 15/154 SIRS patients versus 3/211 non-SIRS patients: p = 0.001, RR 6.9 (95% CI 2.0-23.3). Most of the deaths among patients with SIRS occurred among patients with malignant conditions. Septic shock developed in 4/154 (3%) of the patients with SIRS, whereas this occurred in only one of the 211 patients (0.5%) without SIRS on arrival: p = 0.08, RR 5.5 (95% CI 0.6-48.6).

Conclusion

We found SIRS status on admission to be moderately associated with infection and strongly related to 28-day mortality.

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Title: The Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (SIRS) in acutely hospitalised medical patients: a cohort study
Authors: Pål Comstedt
Merete Storgaard
Annmarie T Lassen
Publication date: 01-12-2009
Publisher: BioMed Central
Published in: Scandinavian Journal of Trauma, Resuscitation and Emergency Medicine / Issue 1/2009
Electronic ISSN: 1757-7241
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/1757-7241-17-67

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

The Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (SIRS) in acutely hospitalised medical patients: a cohort study

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusion

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusion

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