Estimates of Sepsis Prevalence and Outcomes in Adult Patients in the ICU in India: A Cross-sectional Study

Background: Sepsis is a global health problem. Limited data exist on the prevalence of sepsis using current definitions in ICUs in India.

Research question: In adult patients admitted to ICUs in India, what is the prevalence of sepsis using the previous (Second International Consensus Definitions for Sepsis and Septic Shock [Sepsis-2]) and current (Third International Consensus Definitions for Sepsis and Septic Shock [Sepsis-3]) definitions?

Study design and methods: Prospective, observational, multicentre, 1-day, cross-sectional study. The primary outcome was the sepsis prevalence using both the Sepsis-2 and Sepsis-3 definitions and their concordance (using Cohen's κ coefficient). Additional outcomes included reporting on current microbiological characteristics, antimicrobial use, multidrug-resistant infections, and 30-day discharge and mortality status in patients with sepsis.

Results: A total of 35 ICUs (85.7% private, 14.3% public) participated, enrolling 680 patients (median age, 60 years [interquartile range, 24 years]; 62.1% men). The most common primary diagnosis was renal disease, and common comorbidities were diabetes (44.0%) and chronic renal failure (11.6%). The sepsis prevalence on the study day was 382 of 677 patients (56.4%). Prevalence by Sepsis-3 and Sepsis-2 definitions was 33.2% and 46.2%, respectively, with minimal concordance (κ = 0.32). In patients with sepsis, the most common microorganisms were bacterial (77.9%) followed by fungal (14.1%) infections. Approximately 45% of infections were caused by multidrug-resistant organisms. Mortality at 30 days after the study day (27.6% vs 5.3%; P < .01) and rates of discharge against medical advice (12.8% vs 4.9%; P < .01) were significantly higher in the sepsis cohort compared with the cohort without sepsis, respectively.

Interpretation: This multicenter point prevalence study in Indian ICUs showed a high burden of sepsis using both Sepsis-2 and Sepsis-3 criteria, with associated high rates of antimicrobial resistance and mortality. These findings have implications for public health and future research.