Table 1 Population characteristics. Results were expressed as mean and standard deviation for quantitative parameters (normal distribution), as median and interquartile range for quantitative parameters (non-gaussian distribution) and, as absolute value and percentage for qualitative parameters. P-value corresponds to the comparison between deceased and living patients

Demographics

  Age (years)

69 ± 15

67 ± 16

72 ± 14

0.005

  Hypertension

166 (41%)

117 (40%)

49 (42%)

0.726

  Chronic cardiac failure

69 (17%)

44 (15%)

25 (22%)

0.124

  Diabetes Mellitus

106 (26%)

83 (29%)

23 (20%)

0.07

  Cancer history

144 (35%)

95 (33%)

49 (42%)

0.072

  COPD

55 (14%)

34 (12%)

21 (18%)

0.092

  Chronic Renal Failure

52 (13%)

32 (11%)

20 (17%)

0.093

Prehospital initial values

  Initial SBP (mmHg)

102 ± 43

103 ± 47

97 ± 27

0.193

  Initial DBP (mmHg)

59 ± 20

60 ± 21

58 ± 19

0.240

  Initial MBP (mmHg)

72 ± 22

73 ± 23

70 ± 20

0.211

  Initial HR (beats.min⁻¹)

112 ± 28

112 ± 28

112 ± 30

0.974

  Initial SI

1.2 ± 0.5

1.2 ± 0.5

1.2 ± 0.5

0.354

  Initial RR (movements.min⁻¹)

30 [22-38]

28 [22-36]

32 [25-39]

0.088

  Initial pulse oximetry (%)

93 [87 – 96]

94 [88 – 97]

91 [83 – 95]

0.012

  Initial body core temperature (°C)

38.5 [37.0 – 39.3]

38.6 [37.1 – 39.5]

38.2 [35.8 – 39.0]

0.011

  Initial Glasgow coma scale

15 [13-15]

15 [14-15]

15 [12-15]

0.018

  Initial blood lactate (mmol.l⁻¹)

6.2 ± 3.7

5.8 ± 3.5

6.9 ± 4.0

0.059

  Fluid expansion (ml)

625 [500 – 1200]

675 [500 – 1000]

500 [500 – 1000]

0.762

  Fluid expansion / body weight (ml.kg⁻¹)

15 ± 10

15 ± 10

14 ± 10

0.812

  Norepinephrine administration

100 (25%)

83 (29%)

32 (28%)

0.357

  Norepinephrine dose (mg.h⁻¹)

1.0 [0.5 – 2.0]

1.0 [0.5 – 2.0]

1.0 [0.7 – 2.0]

0.668

  Prehospital AB administration

114 (28%)

83 (29%)

31 (27%)

0.701

  Prehospital duration (min)

65 ± 32

64 ± 32

66 ± 31

0.373

Prehospital final values

  Final SBP (mmHg)

103 ± 26

104 ± 26

100 ± 28

0.147

  Final DBP (mmHg)

60 ± 18

60 ± 18

58 ± 20

0.360

  Final MBP (mmHg)

74 ± 20

74 ± 19

72 ± 22

0.242

  Final HR (beats.min⁻¹)

106 ± 25

107 ± 24

109 ± 27

0.267

  Final SI

1.1 ± 0.7

1.1 ± 0.7

1.1 ± 0.4

0.595

  Delta SI

0.1 ± 0.7

0.01 ± 0.8

0.01 ± 0.5

0.886

  Positive delta SI (%)

248 (61%)

183 (63%)

65 (56%)

0.188

  Negative delta SI (%)

158 (39%)

107 (37%)

51 (44%)

0.188

  Final RR (movements.min⁻¹)

25 [20-33]

24 [18-30]

29 [22-35]

0.002

  Final pulse oximetry (%)

97 [94 – 99]

97 [95 – 99]

96 [92 – 98]

0.004

  Final body core temperature (°C)

38.2 [37.0 – 39.0]

38.3 [37.2 – 39.0]

37.8 [35.9 – 38.9]

0.004

  Final Glasgow coma scale

15 [14-15]

15 [14-15]

15 [13-15]

0.001

  Final blood lactate (mmol.l⁻¹)

4.5 ± 3.6

3.7 ± 3.0

6.1 ± 4.3

 < 10^–3

  Delta blood lactate (mmol.l⁻¹)

1.2 ± 2.8

1.6 ± 2.9

0.4 ± 2.5

0.01

  Positive delta blood lactate (%)

115 (28%)

80 (28%)

35 (30%)

0.161

  Negative delta blood lactate (%)

54 (13%)

32 (11%)

22 (19%)

0.217

Hospital parameters

  SOFA score

7 [3-10]

6 [3-9]

9 [6-12]

 < 10^–3

  SAPS2 score

58 ± 22

52 ± 19

70 ± 22

 < 10^–3

  In-ICU length of stay (days)

5 [2-9]

5 [2-9]

4 [2-8]

0.099

  In-hospital length of stay (days)

12 [7-20]

15 [9-24]

4 [2-13]

 < 10^–3

Presumed septic shock origins

  Pulmonary

170 (42%)

111 (38%)

59 (51%)

0.021

  Digestive

102 (25%)

70 (24%)

32 (28%)

0.470

  Urinary

67 (17%)

56 (19%)

11 (9%)

0.018

  Cutaneous

28 (7%)

23 (8%)

5 (4%)

0.200

  Meningeal

9 (2.5%)

7 (2%)

2 (2%)

0.671

  Gynaecological

3 (0.5%)

3 (100%)

0 (0%)

0.986

  Ears nose throat

2 (0.5%)

1 (50%)

1 (50%°

0.516

  Endocarditis

2 (0.5%)

2 (100%)

0 (0%)

0.983

  Unknown

23 (5%)

17 (6%)

6 (5%)

0.786