Lay Description
To develop an acute phase or infection risk score based on routinely available biomarker data, that could be used in conjunction with NEWS2 to improve recognition of sepsis in the Emergency Department or general ward patients. NEWS2 is the standardised tool for detecting deterioration in the next 24 hours, used for all hospitalised patients in the United Kingdom.
A retrospective observational (backwards looking) cohort study of all all non-elective adult admissions with at least one overnight stay for whom vital signs and laboratory data are available on electronic patient record systems.
All admissions will be place in an “Suspicion of Sepsis (SOS)” cohort (approximately 30% of admissions) or control cohort based on ICD-10 coded discharge diagnoses based on the presence or absence of ICD-10 codes signifying infection. The cohorts will be systematically compared for differences in vital signs and common laboratory test results that signify infection risk and acute organ dysfunction, and investigate the relationship to outcomes such as death, ICU admission and acute organ support.
Developing a sepsis risk score based on blood tests that are usually requested when NEWS2 signals deterioration (e.g., threshold NEWS2 of 5 or above) that can be easily used within the NEWS2 deterioration framework by clinicians in the Emergency Department or on inpatient wards, may provide an objective risk-stratifying tool to improve the early recognition of sepsis.