ASSOCIATION OF MULTI-MORBIDITIES WITH SEPSIS IN ADULT PATIENTS ADMITTED IN A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL, KARACHI

ABSTRACT

Background:

Multi-morbid chronic diseases are increasingly placing a greater burden on individuals, communities and health care services. With advancing medical facilities, a growing proportion of the population is surviving longer with multiple chronic diseases. Sepsis is a life threatening infection with multiple organ dysfunctions leading to very high morbidity and mortality. Treating patients with multi-morbidities have always been more difficult when compared to patients with no co-morbid conditions. Hence, data from this study will empower us in exhibiting effective plans in the management of multi-morbidities with sepsis in our region. The study is aimed to determine the association of multi-morbidities with sepsis in adult patients admitted in a tertiary care hospital.

Methods:

This is a case-control study conducted in the Medicine Wards and Intensive Care Unit of a tertiary care hospital in Karachi during the period of May 2018 to October 2018.

Results:

In this study, 52 patients were enrolled. The mean age of patients was 59.35 ± 6.17. Socioeconomic Status showed significant association (p-value 0.034). The mean Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) Score was 2.13 ± 1.86. The odds ratio of having cancer [OR: 3.10 (0.10 – 80.1), p-value 0.50] and other multimorbidities like rheumatoid arthritis [OR: 3.30 (0.30 – 33.6), p-value 0.32] in cases of sepsis respectively were more than in controls but the data was not statistically significant. The mean length of hospital stay was 4.71 ± 2.08.

Conclusion:

Despite our study limitations, a strong association of socioeconomic status with cases and controls in admitted patients was seen and among them, the upper income groups were the most. Although, an association of cancers and multimorbidities like rheumatoid arthritis with cases and controls has been identified, it requires to be researched further. Consensus regarding the definition of multimorbidity should be made.

Keywords:

Multimorbidities; Sepsis; Age; Socioeconomic Status; SOFA Score; Cancers; Rheumatoid Arthritis; Length of Hospital Stay.

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