Severe sepsis is sepsis complicated by organ dysfunction. A patient only needs one of the following to have severe sepsis:
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Hypoxia | Sats < 92% on room air |
| Urine Output | < 30 mL per hour for at least 2 hours |
| Creatinine | > 175 μmol/L new or increase more than 45 μmol/L |
| Coagulation Abnormalities | INR > 1.5 or APTT > 60 secs (new) |
| Thrombocytopenia | Platelet count < 100 x 10-9 (new) |
| Ileus | Hypoxia causes gut paralysis to slow/possibly stop |
| Lactate | > 2 mmol/L (new) |
| Reduced Capillary Refill | > 5 secs |
| Mottling | Reduced blood flow to the skin |
| Arterial Hypotension | SBP < 90 mmHg, MAP < 70 or SBP decrease > 40 mmHg |
The above items are all signs of organ dysfunction.
