• Tomoki Tanaka, Kazunori Fujino, Yasuyuki Tsujita, Yugo Matsumoto, Mitsuhiro Fujino, Hidemitsu Miyatake, Naoto Mizumura, Takayuki Kato, Junji Shimizu, Takuma Kishimoto, and Naoto Shiomi.
• Department of Critical and Intensive Care Medicine, Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu, Japan.
• Shock. 2024 Aug 12.

PurposeThis study aimed to investigate the presence of schistocytes in patients with sepsis and its association with mortality and organ failure.MethodsWe conducted a retrospective observational study at Shiga University of Medical Science Hospital, Japan, from January 2015 to April 2021. This study included patients diagnosed with sepsis or septic shock. Schistocytes were identified through daily hematological examinations. Moreover, data on mortality rates and organ failure based on sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) scores were systematically collected and analyzed.ResultsSchistocytes were detected in 41 of the 330 patients with sepsis. The presence of schistocytes was associated with significantly high 90-day and 1-year mortality rates (48.7% and 68.2%, respectively; p < 0.001). Patients with schistocytes exhibited higher SOFA scores, particularly in the coagulation and renal components, indicating more severe organ failure than that observed in patients without schistocytes. These findings persisted even after adjusting for confounding factors, such as age, sex, and baseline comorbidities. Additionally, we observed that patients with schistocytes required frequent red blood cells, further highlighting the severity of their conditions.ConclusionSchistocytes are significantly associated with increased long-term mortality and organ failure in patients with sepsis. Their detection may provide crucial insights into disease severity, guide targeted therapeutic strategies, and potentially improve the long-term outcomes of sepsis management.Copyright © 2024 by the Shock Society.

7 keywords...

hide…