Recognition in Emergency Department of Septic Patients at Higher Risk of Death: Beware of Patients without Fever

Systematic Literature Review of the Association of Fever and Elevated Temperature with Outcomes in Critically Ill Adult Patients

Although most commonly associated with infection, elevated temperature and fever also occur in a variety of critically ill populations. Prior studies have suggested that fever and elevated temperature may be detrimental to critically ill patients and can lead to poor outcomes, but the evidence surrounding the association of fever with outcomes is rapidly evolving. To broadly assess potential associations of elevated temperature and fever with outcomes in critically ill adult patients, we performed a systematic literature review focusing on traumatic brain injury, stroke (ischemic and hemorrhagic), cardiac arrest, sepsis, and general intensive care unit (ICU) patients. Searches were conducted in Embase® and PubMed® from 2016 to 2021, following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, including dual-screening of abstracts, full texts, and extracted data. In total, 60 studies assessing traumatic brain injury and stroke (24), cardiac arrest (8), sepsis (22), and general ICU (6) patients were included. Mortality, functional, or neurological status and length of stay were the most frequently reported outcomes. Elevated temperature and fever were associated with poor clinical outcomes in patients with traumatic brain injury, stroke, and cardiac arrest but not in patients with sepsis. Although a causal relationship between elevated temperature and poor outcomes cannot be definitively established, the association observed in this systematic literature review supports the concept that management of elevated temperature may factor in avoidance of detrimental outcomes in multiple critically ill populations. The analysis also highlights gaps in our understanding of fever and elevated temperature in critically ill adult patients.

Predictors of Death in Patients with Neonatal Sepsis in a Peruvian Hospital

Reducing neonatal mortality is a global challenge. This study’s objective was to determine the predictors of mortality in patients with neonatal sepsis. The study was a retrospective cohort study in a Peruvian hospital from January 2014 to April 2022. Neonates diagnosed with sepsis were included. To find predictors of mortality, we used Cox proportional regression models. We evaluated 288 neonates with sepsis; the median birth weight and hospitalization time were 3270 g and seven days, respectively. During follow-up, 18.4% did not survive, and the most common complications were jaundice (35.42%), respiratory distress syndrome (29.51%), and septic shock (12.5%). The most isolated bacteria were Klebsiella pneumoniae. The risk factors associated with higher mortality were prematurity (aHR = 13.92; 95% CI: 1.71−113.51), platelets <150,000 (aHR = 3.64; 1.22−10.88), creatinine greater than 1.10 (aHR = 3.03; 1.09−8.45), septic shock (aHR = 4.41; 2.23−8.74), and admission to IMV (aHR = 5.61; 1.86−16.88), On the other hand, breastfeeding was associated with a lower risk of death (aHR = 0.25; 0.13−0.48). In conclusion, we report a high incidence of death and identify clinical (prematurity, septic shock, admission to IMV) and laboratory characteristics (elevated creatinine and thrombocytopenia) associated with higher mortality in patients with neonatal sepsis. Breastfeeding was a factor associated with survival in these patients.