Hospital and 1-Year Outcomes of Septic Syndromes in Older People: A Cohort Study

Purpose. Our objective was to describe the relationship between sepsis syndrome mortality and cognitive and physical disability in elderly persons. Methods. A 1-year consecutive cohort study in clinical beds of a university hospital was performed. Variables were severity of sepsis syndrome, organ failure, functional status, age, sex, and positive cultures. Outcomes were in-hospital and 1-year mortalities. Results. The study included 137 patients (.70 years), both sexes. Data from 116 (84.5%) patients were obtainable at 1-year follow-up. Forty-eight (35%) patients presented with sepsis (11/137, 8%) or severe sepsis (37/137, 27%). Inhospital mortality was 15.3% (0% for sepsis and 21.8% if severe) and increased with organ failure ( p , .0001). One-year mortality was 54.78% (63/116), mostly related to severe sepsis; predictors were severe organ failure ( p , .0001), prior functional status ( p ¼ .0005), and Mini-Mental State Examination ( p ¼ .03). Prior functional status and organ failure were independent predictors. Conclusions. In-hospital and 1-year mortality increased with septic syndrome severity, prior functional status, and organ failure.