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. 2022 Mar 13;22(1):248.
doi: 10.1186/s12879-022-07242-4.

Bacteraemia and quick Sepsis Related Organ Failure Assessment (qSOFA) are independent risk factors for long-term mortality in very elderly patients with suspected infection: retrospective cohort study

Rubén Hernández-Quiles  1   2 , Esperanza Merino-Lucas  3 , Vicente Boix  1   3 , Adela Fernández-Gil  1 , Juan C Rodríguez-Díaz  4 , Adelina Gimeno  4 , Beatriz Valero  5 , Rosario Sánchez-Martínez  5 , Jose-Manuel Ramos-Rincón  6   7
Affiliations

Bacteraemia and quick Sepsis Related Organ Failure Assessment (qSOFA) are independent risk factors for long-term mortality in very elderly patients with suspected infection: retrospective cohort study

Rubén Hernández-Quiles et al. BMC Infect Dis. .

Abstract

Background: In older adult patients, bloodstream infections cause significant mortality. However, data on long-term prognosis in very elderly patients are scarce. This study aims to assess 1-year mortality from bacteraemia in very elderly patients.

Methods: Retrospective cohort study in inpatients aged 80 years or older and suspected of having sepsis. Patients with (n = 336) and without (n = 336) confirmed bacteraemia were matched for age, sex, and date of culture, and their characteristics were compared. All-cause mortality and risk of death were assessed using the adjusted hazard ratio (aHR).

Results: Compared to controls, cases showed a higher 1-year mortality (34.8% vs. 45.2%) and mortality rate (0.46 vs. 0.69 deaths per person-year). Multivariable analysis showed significant risk of 1-year mortality in patients with bacteraemia (aHR: 1.31, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.03-1.67), quick Sepsis Related Organ Failure Assessment (qSOFA) score of 2 or more (aHR: 2.71, 95% CI 2.05-3.57), and age of 90 years or older (aHR 1.53, 95% CI 1.17-1.99).

Conclusions: In elderly patients suspected of sepsis, bacteraemia is associated with a poor prognosis and higher long-term mortality. Other factors related to excess mortality were age over 90 years and a qSOFA score of 2 or more.

Keywords: Age ≥ 80; Bacteraemia; Sepsis; Survival; qSOFA.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors certify that they have no affiliations with or involvement in any organisation or entity with any financial interest or non-financial interest in the subject matter or materials discussed in this manuscript.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Patient selection flowchart
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
One-year survival in patients with bacteraemia vs. controls
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
One-year survival in patients with qSOFA scores of ≥ 2 vs. < 2
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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