Karp G, Perl Y, Fuchs L, Almog Y, Klein M, Vodonos A, Dreiher J, Talmor D, Codish S, Novack V. Ethnicity and sepsis characteristics and outcomes. Population based study.
Eur J Intern Med 2013;
24:34-9. [PMID:
23092742 DOI:
10.1016/j.ejim.2012.09.016]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2012] [Revised: 09/27/2012] [Accepted: 09/30/2012] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Two distinct ethnic groups live in Southern Israel: urban Jews and rural Bedouin Arabs. These groups differ in their socioeconomic status, culture and living environment, and are treated in a single regional tertiary care hospital. We hypothesized that these two ethnic groups have different patterns of sepsis-related intensive care admissions.
METHODS
The study included all adult patients admitted to the Soroka University Medical Center Intensive Care Units between January 2002 and December 2008, with a diagnosis of sepsis. Demographic data, medical history, and hospitalization and outcomes data were obtained. Primary outcome was all-cause mortality.
RESULTS
Jewish patients admitted to the ICU (1343, 87%) were on average 17 years older than Bedouin Arabs (199, 13%). For the population <65 years, Bedouin Arabs had slightly higher age-adjusted prevalence of ICU sepsis admissions than Jewish patients (39.5 vs. 43.0, p=0.25), while for the population >65 years there was a reverse trend (21.8 vs. 19.8 p=0.49). There were no differences in the type of organ failure, sepsis severity or length of hospitalization between the two groups. Twenty eight days/in-hospital mortality was 33.9% in Bedouin Arabs vs. 45.5% in Jews, p=0.004. Following adjustment for comorbidities, age and severity of the disease, survival was unrelated to ethnicity, both at 28 days (odds ratio for Bedouin Arabs 0.86, 95% CI 0.66-1.24) and following hospital discharge (hazard ratio 0.86, 95% 0.67-1.09).
CONCLUSIONS
Sepsis-related ICU admissions are more prevalent among Bedouin Arabs at younger age compared with the Jewish population. Adjusted for confounders, ethnicity does not influence prognosis.
Collapse