Table 1 Patient characteristics

No. (%)

323

198 (61)

125 (39)

Age (years)

66 ± 17

68 ± 17

63 ± 16

0.015

Male sex

183 (57)

107

76

0.294

Comorbidities (%)

COPD

49 (15)

32 (16)

17 (14)

0.419

Liver disease

34 (11)

20 (10)

14 (11)

0.850

Malignancy, not metastasized

39 (12)

21 (11)

17 (14)

0.372

Malignancy, metastasized

31 (22)

29 (15)

2 (2)

0.004

Immune compromised†

96 (30)

65 (33)

31 (25)

0.16

Clinical presentation

Respiratory rate (/min)

28 ± 10

27 ± 9

29 ± 10

0.403

SO₂

92±9

93 ± 7

90 ± 11

0.035

Heart rate (/min)

111 ± 24

110 ± 24

111 ± 25

0.820

Systolic BP (mmHg)

105 ± 31

105 ± 30

106 ± 33

0.763

Diastolic (mmHg)

58 ± 18

57 ± 18

59 ± 18

0.455

Altered mental status

118 (37)

59 (30)

59 (47)

0.005

Febrile chills

72 (22)

49 (25)

23 (18)

0.320

Temperature (°C)

38.1 ± 1.6

38.0 ± 1.4

38.2 ± 1.9

0.354

Laboratory results

Leucocyte count (10 × 9/l)

14.1 ± 9.9

15.1 ± 9.0

12.9 ± 11.2

0.048

Platelets (.10¹²/l)

248 ± 160

258 ± 149

235 ± 178

0.223

INR

1.8 ± 1.5

1.7 ± 1.5

1.9 ± 1.5

0.598

Bilirubin (μmol/l)

22 ± 29

23 ± 33

21 ± 24

0.557

Lactate (mmol/l)

3.7 ± 2.6

3.5 ± 2.5

3.9 ± 2.9

0.289

C-reactive protein (mg/l)

194 ± 142

183 ± 135

216 ± 151

0.046

Glucose (mmol/l)

9.2 ± 5.7

9.4 ± 6.3

8.6 ± 4.0

0.203

pH

7.35 ± 0.59

7.32 ± 0.79

7.39 ± 0.10

0.26

Creatinine (μmol/l)

171 ± 116

175 ± 123

166 ± 106

0.516

Urea (mmol/l)

14.1 ± 10.3

15 ± 11

13 ± 9

0.150

Suspected site of infection (%)

Pneumonia

165 (51)

100 (51)

60 (48)

1.0

Urinary tract infection

97 (30)

66 (33)

31 (25)

0.164

Abdominal

47 (15)

26 (13)

21 (17)

0.259

Neurological

8 (3)

4 (2)

4 (3)

0.479

Skin

22 (7)

8 (4)

13 (3)

0.02

Other

41 (13)

26 (13)

15 (12)

0.862

Illness severity

Number of acute organ dysfunctions

1.8 ± 0.9

1.7 ± 0.9

1.9 ± 0.9

0.205

PIRO score

11.9 ± 4.6

11.8 ± 5.1

12.8 ± 4.3

0.045

MEDS score

8.8 ± 4.0

8.5 ± 4.1

9.1 ± 3.8

0.26

DNR status

89 (28)

71 (36)

18 (14)

<0.001

ED Treatment

Fluids in ED (l)

1.9 ± 1.3

1.6 ± 1.1

2.2 ± 1.5

<0.001

Time to antibiotics (min)

115 ± 91

127 ± 95

94 ± 74

0.005

Number of goals attained

4.3 ± 1.4

3.9 ± 1.4

5.1 ± 1.0

<0.001

All goals attained

77 (24)

28 (14)

49 (39)

<0.001

ICU consultation in ED

171 (53)

46 (23)

125 (100)

<0.001

Hospital length of stay (days)

Total

13.1 ± 15.0

10 ± 12

18 ± 19

<0.001

ICU

3.3 ± 8.9

0.5 ± 2.0

8 ± 13.1

<0.001

Ward

9.7 ± 10.4

9.7 ± 10.7

10.0 ± 10.1

0.789

In-hospital mortality

72 (22.3)

39 (20)

33 (26)

0.208