Background: On intensive care unit (ICU) admission, it is difficult to predict which patient may harbor multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria. MDR is the nonsusceptibility of bacteria to at least one antibiotic in three or more antimicrobial categories. Vitamin C inhibits bacterial biofilms, and its incorporation into the modified nutritional risk in critically ill (mNUTRIC) scores may help predict MDR bacterial sepsis early.
Methods: A prospective observational study was conducted on adult subjects with sepsis. Plasma Vitamin C level was estimated within 24 h of ICU admission, and it was incorporated into the mNUTRIC score (designated as Vitamin C nutritional risk in critically ill [vNUTRIC]). Multivariable logistic regression was performed to determine if vNUTRIC was an independent predictor of MDR bacterial culture in sepsis subjects. The receiver operating characteristic curve was plotted to determine the vNUTRIC cutoff score for predicting MDR bacterial culture.
Results: A total of 103 patients were recruited. The bacterial culture-positive sepsis subjects were 58/103, with 49/58 culture-positive subjects having MDR. The vNUTRIC score on ICU admission in the MDR bacteria group was 6.71 ± 1.92 versus 5.42 ± 2.2 in the non-MDR bacteria group (P = 0.003, Independent Student's t-test). High vNUTRIC score ≥6 on admission is associated with MDR bacteria (P = 0.042 Chi-Square test), and is a predictor of MDR bacteria (P = 0.003, AUC 0.671, 95% confidence interval [0.568-0.775], sensitivity 71%, specificity 48%). Logistic regression showed that the vNUTRIC score is an independent predictor of MDR bacteria.
Conclusion: High vNUTRIC score (≥6) on ICU admission in sepsis subjects is associated with MDR bacteria.
Background: High in-hospital mortality in sepsis patients remains challenging for clinicians worldwide. Early recognition, prognostication, and aggressive management are essential for treating septic patients. Many scores have been formulated to guide clinicians to predict the early deterioration of such patients. Our objective was to compare predictive values of quick Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (qSOFA) and National Early Warning Score 2 (NEWS2) with respect to in-hospital mortality.
Methods: This prospective observational study was conducted in a tertiary care center in India. Adults with suspected infection with at least two Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome criteria presenting to the emergency department (ED) were enrolled. NEWS2 and qSOFA scores were calculated, and patients were followed until their primary outcome of mortality or hospital discharge. The diagnostic accuracy of qSOFA and NEWS2 for predicting mortality was analyzed.
Results: Three hundred and seventy-three patients were enrolled. Overall mortality was 35.12%. A majority of patients had LOS between 2 and 6 days (43.70%). NEWS2 had higher area under curve at 0.781 (95% confidence interval [CI] (0.59, 0.97)) than qSOFA at 0.729 (95% CI [0.51, 0.94]), with P < 0.001. Sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic efficiency to predict mortality by NEWS2 were 83.21% (95% CI [83.17%, 83.24%]); 57.44% (95% CI [57.39%, 57.49%]); and 66.48% (95% CI [66.43%, 66.53%]), respectively. qSOFA score had sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic efficiency to predict mortality of 77.10% (95% CI [77.06%, 77.14%]); 42.98% (95% CI [42.92%, 43.03%]); and 54.95% (95% CI [54.90%, 55.00%]), respectively.
Conclusion: NEWS2 is superior to qSOFA in predicting in-hospital mortality for sepsis patients presenting to the ED in India.