Infectious diseases (London, England)
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Comparative Study
The influence of a change in septic shock definitions on intensive care epidemiology and outcome: comparison of sepsis-2 and sepsis-3 definitions.
Clear definitions for septic shock assist clinicians regarding recognition, treatment and standardized reporting of characteristics and outcome of this entity. Sepsis-3 definition of septic shock incorporates a new criterion, a lactate level >2 mmol/L. Differences in epidemiology and outcome of septic shock based upon both definitions were studied in an intensive care (ICU) population of septic patients. ⋯ Patients classified according to Sepsis-3 criteria had a higher ICU mortality compared with Sepsis-2 criteria. Lactate levels <6 mmol/L were not able to identify patients with increased ICU mortality. Lactate threshold of 2 mmol/L may be too low to point out patients with actual increased ICU mortality.