Mortality in Community-Acquired Sepsis and Infections in the Faroe Islands-A Prospective Observational Study

Abstract

The aim of this study was to collect data and analyze mortality among patients hospitalized with community-acquired infections in the Faroe Islands. A prospective observational study was conducted in the Medical Department of the National Hospital of the Faroe Islands from October 2013 to April 2015. Cumulative all-cause, in-hospital, short-term, intermediate-term and long-term mortality rates were calculated. Kaplan-Meier survival curves comparing infection-free patients with infected patients of all severities and different age groups are presented. A log-rank test was used to compare groups. Mortality hazard ratios were calculated for subgroups using Cox regression multivariable models. There were 1309 patients without infection and 755 patients with infection. There were 51% female and 49% male patients. Mean age was 62.73 ± 19.71. Cumulative all-cause mortality and in-hospital mortality were highest in more severe forms of infection. This pattern remained the same for short-term mortality in the model adjusted for sex and age, while there were no significant differences among the various infection groups in regard to intermediate- or long-term survival after adjustment. Overall and short-term mortality rates were highest among those with severe manifestations of infection and those with infection compared to infection-free patients.

Keywords: community-acquired infection; mortality; sepsis.

Figure 1

Kaplan–Meier survival curve for patients hospitalized over an 18-month period in the Medical Department without infection, with infection without SIRS, with sepsis, severe sepsis and septic shock.

Figure 2

Kaplan–Meier survival curves comparing patients without infection, infection without SIRS and sepsis of any severity.

Figure 3

Kaplan–Meier curves of one-year survival for patients with sepsis of any severity, comparing age categories.