EPIDEMIOLOGY OF SIRS, SEPSIS AND SEPTIC S HOCK IN SURGICAL ICU PATIENTS

This paper uses definitions of a consensus conference (ACCP/CCM) descr ibing the epidemiology of SIRS, sepsis and septic shock in surgical IC U patients. During a period of 2 years a total of 656 patients were pr ospectively enrolled into the study. 335 patients (51.1% of the total population) developed SIRS (systemic inflammatory response syndrome); in 65 of these patients infection could be documented, i.e. they met t he criteria of sepsis. 47 of these 65 septic patients developed septic shock, with mortality of 53.2 %. SIRS is associated with a high sensi tivity but a low specificity in predecting the outcome of ICU patients , Moreover, SIRS and sepsis appear to be of minor clinical relevance. On the contrary septic shock describes a very high risk group of patie nts which should be characterized more closely in future studies.