Primary bacteraemia is associated with a higher mortality risk compared with pulmonary and intra-abdominal infections in patients with sepsis: a prospective observational cohort study

HS1 deficiency protects against sepsis by attenuating neutrophil-inflicted lung damage

Sepsis remains an important health problem worldwide due to inefficient treatments often resulting in multi-organ failure. Neutrophil recruitment is critical during sepsis. While neutrophils are required to combat invading bacteria, excessive neutrophil recruitment contributes to tissue damage due to their arsenal of molecular weapons that do not distinguish between host and pathogen. Thus, neutrophil recruitment needs to be fine-tuned to ensure bacterial killing, while avoiding neutrophil-inflicted tissue damage. We recently showed that the actin-binding protein HS1 promotes neutrophil extravasation; and hypothesized that HS1 is also a critical regulator of sepsis progression. We evaluated the role of HS1 in a model of lethal sepsis induced by cecal-ligation and puncture. We found that septic HS1-deficient mice had a better survival rate compared to WT mice due to absence of lung damage. Lungs of septic HS1-deficient mice showed less inflammation, fibrosis, and vascular congestion. Importantly, systemic CLP-induced neutrophil recruitment was attenuated in the lungs, the peritoneum and the cremaster in the absence of HS1. Lungs of HS1-deficient mice produced significantly more interleukin-10. Compared to WT neutrophils, those HS1-deficient neutrophils that reached the lungs had increased surface levels of Gr-1, ICAM-1, and L-selectin. Interestingly, HS1-deficient neutrophils had similar F-actin content and phagocytic activity, but they failed to polymerize actin and deform in response to CXCL-1 likely explaining the reduced systemic neutrophil recruitment in HS1-deficient mice. Our data show that HS1 deficiency protects against sepsis by attenuating neutrophil recruitment to amounts sufficient to combat bacterial infection, but insufficient to induce tissue damage.

Serum N-Glycomics Stratifies Bacteremic Patients Infected with Different Pathogens

Bacteremia—i.e., the presence of pathogens in the blood stream—is associated with long-term morbidity and is a potential precursor condition to life-threatening sepsis. Timely detection of bacteremia is therefore critical to reduce patient mortality, but existing methods lack precision, speed, and sensitivity to effectively stratify bacteremic patients. Herein, we tested the potential of quantitative serum N-glycomics performed using porous graphitized carbon liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry to stratify bacteremic patients infected with Escherichia coli (n = 11), Staphylococcus aureus (n = 11), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (n = 5), and Streptococcus viridans (n = 5) from healthy donors (n = 39). In total, 62 N-glycan isomers spanning 41 glycan compositions primarily comprising complex-type core fucosylated, bisecting N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc), and α2,3-/α2,6-sialylated structures were profiled across all samples using label-free quantitation. Excitingly, unsupervised hierarchical clustering and principal component analysis of the serum N-glycome data accurately separated the patient groups. P. aeruginosa-infected patients displayed prominent N-glycome aberrations involving elevated levels of fucosylation and bisecting GlcNAcylation and reduced sialylation relative to other bacteremic patients. Notably, receiver operating characteristic analyses demonstrated that a single N-glycan isomer could effectively stratify each of the four bacteremic patient groups from the healthy donors (area under the curve 0.93–1.00). Thus, the serum N-glycome represents a new hitherto unexplored class of potential diagnostic markers for bloodstream infections.

Novel and potent antimicrobial effects of caspofungin on drug-resistant Candida and bacteria

Echinocandins, including caspofungin, micafungin, and anidulafungin, are first-line antifungal agents for the treatment of invasive candidiasis. They exhibit fungicidal activity by inhibiting the synthesis of β-1,3-D-glucan, an essential component of the fungal cell wall. However, they are active only against proliferating fungal cells and unable to completely eradicate fungal cells even after a 24 h drug exposure in standard time-kill assays. Surprisingly, we found that caspofungin, when dissolved in low ionic solutions, had rapid and potent antimicrobial activities against multidrug-resistant (MDR) Candida and bacteria cells even in non-growth conditions. This effect was not observed in 0.9% NaCl or other ion-containing solutions and was not exerted by other echinocandins. Furthermore, caspofungin dissolved in low ionic solutions drastically reduced mature biofilm cells of MDR Candida auris in only 5 min, as well as Candida-bacterial polymicrobial biofilms in a catheter-lock therapy model. Caspofungin displayed ion concentration-dependent conformational changes and intracellular accumulation with increased reactive oxygen species production, indicating a novel mechanism of action in low ionic conditions. Importantly, caspofungin dissolved in 5% glucose water did not exhibit increased toxicity to human cells. This study facilitates the development of new therapeutic strategies in the management of catheter-related biofilm infections.

Variation in SOFA (Sequential Organ Failure Assessment) Score Performance in Different Infectious States

INTRODUCTION

In this study, we investigated whether the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score performance differs based on the type of infection among patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) with infection.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Single-center, retrospective study of adult ICU patients admitted with infection between January 2008 and April 2018 at an urban tertiary care center. Patients were uniquely classified into different infection types based on International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) and ICD-10 codes. Infection types included were pneumonia, meningitis, bacteremia, cellulitis, cholangitis/cholecystitis, intestinal and diarrheal disease, endocarditis, urinary tract infection (UTI), and peritonitis. The SOFA score performance and mortality in relation to SOFA score were compared across infection types.

RESULTS

A total of 12 283 patients were included. Of these, 50.6% were female and the median age was 70 years (interquartile range: 57-82). The most common infection types were pneumonia (32.2%) and UTI (31.0%). Overall, 1703 (13.9%) patients died prior to hospital discharge. The median baseline SOFA score (within 24 hours of ICU admission) for the cohort was 5 (3-8). Patients with peritonitis had the highest median SOFA score, 7 (4-9), and patients with cellulitis and UTI had the lowest median SOFA score, 4 (2-7). The SOFA score discrimination to predict mortality was highest among patients with endocarditis (area under the receiver operating characteristic [AUC]: 0.79, 95% CI: 0.69-0.90) and lowest for patients with isolated bacteremia (AUC: 0.59, 95% CI: 0.49-0.70). Observed mortality by quartile of SOFA score differed substantially across infection types.

CONCLUSIONS

Type of infection is an important consideration when interpreting the SOFA score. This is relevant as SOFA emerges as an important tool in the definition and prognostication of sepsis.

Characteristics and outcomes of bacteremia among ICU-admitted patients with severe sepsis

The clinical implications of bacteremia among septic patients remain unclear, although a vast amount of data have been accumulated on sepsis. We aimed to compare the clinical characteristics and outcomes of severe sepsis patients with and without bacteremia. This secondary analysis of a multicenter, prospective cohort study included 59 intensive care units (ICUs) in Japan between January 2016 and March 2017. The study cohort comprised 1,184 adults (aged ≥ 16 years) who were admitted to an ICU with severe sepsis and diagnosed according to the Sepsis-2 criteria. Of 1,167 patients included in the analysis, 636 (54.5%) had bacteremia. Those with bacteremia had significantly higher rates of septic shock (66.4% vs. 58.9%, p = 0.01) and higher sepsis severity scores, including the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II and the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA). No significant difference in in-hospital mortality was seen between patients with and without bacteremia (25.6% vs. 21.0%, p = 0.08). In conclusion, half of severe sepsis patients in ICUs have bacteremia. Although patients with bacteremia had more severe state, between-group differences in patient-centered outcomes, such as in-hospital mortality, have not been fully elucidated.

High incidence of multiresistant bacterial isolates from bloodstream infections in trauma emergency department and intensive care unit in Serbia

We investigated the incidence of bloodstream infections (BSIs) in trauma emergency department (ED) and intensive care unit (ICU), to assess ED- and ICU-related predictors of BSI and to describe the most common bacteria causing BSI and their antimicrobial resistance markers. A prospective study was conducted in two trauma ICUs of the ED of Clinical Center of Serbia. Overall, 62 BSIs were diagnosed in 406 patients, of which 13 were catheter-related BSI (3.0/1,000 CVC-days) and 30 BSIs of unknown origin, while 15% were attributed to ED CVC exposure. Lactate ≥2 mmol/L and SOFA score were independent ED-related predictors of BSI, while CVC in place for >7 days and mechanical ventilation >7 days were significant ICU-related predictors. The most common bacteria recovered were Acinetobacter spp., Klebsiella spp., and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. All Staphylococcus aureus and coagulase-negative staphylococci isolates were methicillin-resistant, whereas 66% of Enterococcus spp. were vancomycin-resistant. All isolates of Enterobacteriaceae were resistant to third-generation cephalosporins, whereas 87.5% of P. aeruginosa and 95.8% of Acinetobacter spp. isolates were resistant to carbapenems. ED BSI contributes substantially to overall ICU incidence of BSI. Lactate level and SOFA score can help to identify patients with higher risk of developing BSI. Better overall and CVC-specific control measures in patients with trauma are needed.

Role of inherited thrombophilic profile on survival of patients with sepsis

The existence of various coagulation and/or fibrinolytic system disorders (such as inherited thrombophilia) in patients with sepsis could possibly modify host response to infection as well as patient outcome. The aim of the study is to investigate inherited thrombophilic profile in patients with sepsis. Eighty-three patients with sepsis admitted at the Department of Internal Medicine of the University General Hospital of Patras, Greece were included. Thrombophilic profile (factor V G1691A (Leiden), factor V H1299R (R2), prothrombin G20210A, MTHFR C677T, MTHFR A1298C, factor XIII V34L, β-fibrinogen-455 G-A and plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI)-1 4G/5G) was evaluated using the cardiovascular diseases (CVD) StripAssay based on DNA isolation, PCR and reverse hybridisation. Data were collected from patients' chart reviews. Seventy patients (84.3%) of the 83 enrolled had at least one thrombophilic mutation. The most common mutations were heterozygous for β-fibrinogen-455 G-A (43.4%), heterozygous for factor XIII V34L (32.5%), PAI-1 4G/4G (26.5%), homozygous MTHFR C677T (22.9%), heterozygous factor V H1299R (R2) (13.3%) and homozygous MTHFR A1298C (12.0%). A 30-day mortality was 14.5%. Multivariate analysis revealed that mortality was independently associated with Simplified Acute Physiology Score II score on admission, pneumonia and fibrinogen on admission. Nine patients (10.8%) developed septic shock. Coagulation disorders on admission, bacteraemia and PAI-1 genotype 5G/5G were independently associated with development of septic shock. The presence of thrombophilic mutations in patients with sepsis may affect their clinical response, and future studies are needed in order to elucidate the role of isolated thrombophilic mutations in patients with sepsis or septic shock.

Adjunctive therapy of intravenous colistin to intravenous tigecycline for adult patients with non-bacteremic post-surgical intra-abdominal infection due to carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii

Post-surgical intra-abdominal infections (IAIs) due to carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB) are difficult to treat due to suboptimal peritoneal penetrations of several antimicrobial agents. Tigecycline has favorable outcomes of treating IAIs due to multidrug-resistant organisms but occurrence of breakthrough bacteremia has been observed because this agent has low serum level. Colistin has in vitro activity against CRAB but data on treatment of IAIs is limited due to poor peritoneal penetration. The purpose of this retrospective study is to explore the outcomes of adjunctive intravenous (IV) colistin to IV tigecycline in the treatment of IAIs caused by CRAB. Of 28 patients with non-bacteremic post-surgical IAIs due to CRAB, 14 patients received IV tigecycline alone and 14 patients received IV tigecycline with IV colistin. The 14-day, 30-day, in-hospital mortality rates, the rate of breakthrough bacteremia and the rate of bacterial eradication were not significantly different. The adjunctive therapy of IV colistin was associated with significantly higher rates of renal complications (10/14) than those receiving IV tigecycline alone (3/14) (P value = 0.023). In addition, the patients receiving adjunctive IV colistin had significantly more unfavorable non-clinical outcomes including longer length of hospital stay (P value = 0.049) and higher antimicrobial cost (P value = 0.008) and non-antimicrobial costs (P value = 0.037). In this study, adjunctive IV colistin to conventional IV tigecycline in the treatment of non-bacteremic post-surgical IAIs caused by CRAB did not yield clinical benefit but caused higher renal complication and unfavorable non-clinical outcomes.

Incidence and Risk Factors of Perioperative Mortality in Pediatric ICU Patients

Background

There is a limited data of pediatric patients who presented to the intensive care unit (ICU) and undergo procedures under general anesthesia. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the mortality of this population and assess the risk factors associated with mortality.

Methods

Retrospective study of electronic medical records of pediatric patients who admitted to medical/surgical ICU and underwent produces under general anesthesia during the same ICU admission was performed. Incidence of mortality was obtained and risk factors associated with these mortalities were examined using Univariable logistic regression analysis.

Results

The mortality of pediatric patients who were admitted to the ICU and underwent procedures under general anesthesia was 12.6%, while the mortalities of patients without procedures under general anesthesia and patients who admitted to ICU for postoperative management were 3.5% and 0.4%, respectively. Higher ASA class, emergency cases, higher ventilator support, more inotrope requirement, positive microbe in blood stream, blood transfusion requirement, and general surgery or hematological procedures were highly associated with mortalities. Among them, positive blood stream infection was highest odds ratio (102.00, 95% confidence interval 9.78–1064.09). The profile of patients with positive blood stream infection showed that most of them had underlying immunological/hematological disorders.

Conclusion

In our institution, pediatric patients who admitted to the ICU and underwent procedures under general anesthesia demonstrated the highest mortality among other patients who admitted to ICU. Risk factor analysis demonstrated that patients with positive blood stream infection had highest odds ratio, and were highly associated with immunological/ hematological disorders.

Bacterial distributions and prognosis of bloodstream infections in patients with liver cirrhosis

Bloodstream infections (BSIs) are a frequently observed complication in liver cirrhosis patients. This study aimed to investigate the microbiological characteristics and outcomes of BSIs in patients with liver cirrhosis. We retrospectively studied 852 patients with liver cirrhosis who developed a BSI. Patient outcome was evaluated using 30-day mortality and assessed using multivariate stepwise logistic regression analysis. Antibiotic sensitivity of the pathogens was tested. Gram-negative bacteria were responsible for 59.6% of BSIs, and Gram-positive bacteria caused 40.4% of the episodes among liver cirrhosis patients. The bacterial distribution significantly differed between hospital-acquired and community-acquired infections, especially in cases caused by Gram-negative pathogens. The results of the drug sensitivity test suggested that amikacin, cefoperazone/sulbactam, and piperacillin/tazobactam highly suppressed Gram-negative infections, while vancomycin and teicoplanin strongly inhibited Gram-positive BSIs. Liver failure, liver cancer, complications, Child-Pugh grade, septic shock, administration of appropriate antibiotics within 24 h, ICU admission, nosocomial infection, and Gram nature of the bacteria were independent risk factors for 30-day mortality (P < 0.05). The choice of initial empirical antibiotics should be based on the type, severity and origin of infection and on the local epidemiological data on antibiotic resistance. Accurate evaluation of risk factors for mortality may improve appropriate therapeutic choice.

The FER rs4957796 TT genotype is associated with unfavorable 90-day survival in Caucasian patients with severe ARDS due to pneumonia

A recent genome-wide association study showed that a genetic variant within the FER gene is associated with survival in patients with sepsis due to pneumonia. Because severe pneumonia is the main cause of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), we aimed to investigate the effect of the FER polymorphism rs4957796 on the 90-day survival in patients with ARDS due to pneumonia. An assessment of a prospectively collected cohort of 441 patients with ARDS admitted to three intensive care units at the University Medical Centre identified 274 patients with ARDS due to pneumonia. The 90-day mortality risk was recorded as the primary outcome parameter. Sepsis-related organ failure assessment (SOFA) scores and organ support-free days were used as the secondary variables. FER rs4957796 TT-homozygous patients were compared with C-allele carriers. The survival analysis revealed a higher 90-day mortality risk among T homozygotes than among C-allele carriers (p = 0.0144) exclusively in patients with severe ARDS due to pneumonia. The FER rs4957796 TT genotype remained a significant covariate for the 90-day mortality risk in the multivariate analysis (hazard ratio, 4.62; 95% CI, 1.58–13.50; p = 0.0050). In conclusion, FER rs4957796 might act as a prognostic variable for survival in patients with severe ARDS due to pneumonia.

Results of an early intervention programme for patients with bacteraemia: analysis of prognostic factors and mortality

Background

Bacteraemia is a common cause of morbidity and mortality in patients admitted to hospital. The aim of this study is to analyse the results of a two-year programme for the early optimisation of antibiotic treatment in patients admitted to the Costa del Sol Hospital (Marbella. Spain).

Methods

A prospective two-year cohort study was conducted, evaluating all episodes of bacteraemia at the Costa del Sol Hospital. Epidemiological and microbiological characteristics, any modification of the initial antibiotic treatment, prognostic risk stratification, early mortality related to the episode of bacteraemia, and mortality after the seventh day, were included in the analysis.

Results

Seven hundred seventy-three episodes of bacteraemia were treated, 61.6% males and 38.4% females. The mean age was 65.2 years. The condition was most commonly acquired in the community (41.4%). The bacteraemia was most frequently urological in nature (30.5%), and E coli was the microorganism most frequently isolated (31.6%). In 51.1% of the episodes, a modification was made to optimise the treatment. In the first week, 8.2% died from bacteraemia, and 4.5% had died when they were located. The highest rates of death were associated with older patients, nosocomial acquisition, no source, McCabe score rapidly fatal, Charlson index ≥3, Pitt index ≥3 and treatment remained unmodified.

Conclusion

The existence of bacteraemia control programmes and teams composed of clinicians who are experienced in the treatment of infectious diseases, can improve the disease outcome by enabling more severe episodes of bacteraemia to be recognised and their empirical treatment optimised.

The Lung is a Host Defense Niche for Immediate Neutrophil-Mediated Vascular Protection

Bloodstream infection is a hallmark of sepsis, a medically emergent condition requiring rapid treatment. However, upregulation of host defense proteins through toll-like receptors and NFκB requires hours after endotoxin detection. Using confocal pulmonary intravital microscopy, we identified that the lung provides a TLR4-Myd88-and abl tyrosine kinase-dependent niche for immediate CD11b-dependent neutrophil responses to endotoxin and Gram-negative bloodstream pathogens. In an in vivo model of bacteremia, neutrophils crawled to and rapidly phagocytosed Escherichia coli sequestered to the lung endothelium. Therefore, the lung capillaries provide a vascular defensive niche whereby endothelium and neutrophils cooperate for immediate detection and capture of disseminating pathogens.

Pulmonary Infection Is an Independent Risk Factor for Long-Term Mortality and Quality of Life for Sepsis Patients

Background. Long-term outcomes (mortality and health-related quality of life) of sepsis have risen as important indicators for health care. Pulmonary infection and abdominal infection are the leading causes of sepsis. However, few researches about long-term outcomes focused on the origin of sepsis. Here we aim to study the clinical differences between pulmonary-sepsis and abdominal-sepsis and to investigate whether different infection foci were associated with long-term outcomes. Methods. Patients who survived after hospital discharge were followed up by telephone interview. Quality of life (QoL) was assessed using the EuroQol 5-dimension (EQ5D) questionnaire. Results. Four hundred and eighty-three sepsis patients were included, 272 (56.3%) had pulmonary-sepsis, and 180 (37.3%) had abdominal-sepsis. The overall ICU and one-year mortality rates of the cohort were 17.8% and 36.1%, respectively. Compared with abdominal-sepsis, pulmonary-sepsis patients had older age, higher APACHE II, higher ICU mortality (31.7% versus 12.6%), and one-year mortality (45.4% versus 24.4%), together with worse QoL. Age, septic shock, acute renal failure, fungus infection, anion gap, and pulmonary infection were predictors for one-year mortality and pulmonary infection was a risk factor for poor QoL. Conclusions. Pulmonary-sepsis showed worse outcome than abdominal-sepsis. Pulmonary infection is a risk factor for one-year mortality and QoL after sepsis.

Pathogenic, immunologic, and clinical aspects of sepsis - update 2016

INTRODUCTION

Sepsis is a major cause of death worldwide but its orchestrating components remain incompletely understood. On the one hand, development of sepsis results from an infectious focus that cannot be controlled by the immune system, but on the other, responding immune cells that can eliminate the infection inflict damage to the host by contributing to complications such as endothelial leakage, septic shock, and multiorgan failure.

AREAS COVERED

In this review we give a comprehensive overview of how sepsis occurs, which exogenous and endogenous factors might affect the immune-pathophysiological course of sepsis and finally how this knowledge translates into up-to-date definitions and therapeutic approaches. Expert commentary: Although new immunological mechanisms altering the course of sepsis have been identified recently, future research needs to address the limitations of experimental approaches, redirect the research focus into translational approaches, and finally evaluate personalized treatment strategies.

Clinical Features, Short-Term Mortality, and Prognostic Risk Factors of Septic Patients Admitted to Internal Medicine Units: Results of an Italian Multicenter Prospective Study

Only a few studies provided data on the clinical history of sepsis within internal Medicine units. The aim of the study was to assess the short-term mortality and to evaluate the prognostic risk factors in a large cohort of septic patients treated in internal medicine units. Thirty-one internal medicine units participated to the study. Within each participating unit, all admitted patients were screened for the presence of sepsis. A total of 533 patients were included; 78 patients (14.6%, 95%CI 11.9, 18.0%) died during hospitalization; mortality rate was 5.5% (95% CI 3.1, 9.6%) in patients with nonsevere sepsis and 20.1% (95%CI 16.2, 28.8%) in patients with severe sepsis or septic shock. Severe sepsis or septic shock (OR 4.41, 95%CI 1.93, 10.05), immune system weakening (OR 2.10, 95%CI 1.12, 3.94), active solid cancer (OR 2.14, 95% CI 1.16, 3.94), and age (OR 1.03 per year, 95% CI 1.01, 1.06) were significantly associated with an increased mortality risk, whereas blood culture positive for Escherichia coli was significantly associated with a reduced mortality risk (OR 0.46, 95%CI 0.24, 0.88). In-hospital mortality of septic patients treated in internal medicine units appeared similar to the mortality rate obtained in recent studies conducted in the ICU setting.

Prognostic factors of Streptococcus pneumoniae infection in adults

OBJECTIVES

The mortality of severe sepsis has markedly decreased since the implementation of the Surviving Sepsis Campaign guidelines. The next logical step is to examine the necessity of individualized management guidelines for targeted therapy against specific bacteria. Streptococcus pneumoniae is the leading cause of community-acquired severe sepsis; however, little is known regarding the prognostic factors in adult patients with S pneumoniae sepsis. We aimed to identify prognostic factors in patients with S pneumoniae sepsis and to explore a subgroup of patients at high risk for death with detailed Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score analysis.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed the records of patients with S pneumoniae infection treated between 1st January 2006 and 31st July 2012. We identified prognostic factors for 28-day mortality using univariate and multivariate logistic regression models.

RESULTS

Of 171 patients (median age, 72 years) with S pneumoniae infection who were included in this study, the 28-day mortality was 17% (29/171). The SOFA score (odds ratio, 2.25; 95% confidence interval, 1.60-3.18; P < .001) and bacteremia (odds ratio, 19.0; 95% confidence interval, 4.06-90.20; P < .001) were identified as prognostic factors for the 28-day mortality. In a subgroup analysis with a cutoff value of the SOFA score determined by receiver operating characteristic analysis, patients with bacteremia and a SOFA score of at least 7 had a significantly higher mortality than did patients without bacteremia and a SOFA score lower than 7 (84% vs 0%, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Bacteremia and a SOFA score at least 7 were independent prognostic factors of poor outcome in S pneumoniae sepsis.

The CD14 rs2569190 TT Genotype Is Associated with an Improved 30-Day Survival in Patients with Sepsis: A Prospective Observational Cohort Study

According to previous investigations, CD14 is suggested to play a pivotal role in initiating and perpetuating the pro-inflammatory response during sepsis. A functional polymorphism within the CD14 gene, rs2569190, has been shown to impact the pro-inflammatory response upon stimulation with lipopolysaccharide, a central mediator of inflammation in sepsis. In this study, we hypothesized that the strong pro-inflammatory response induced by the TT genotype of CD14 rs2569190 may have a beneficial effect on survival (30-day) in patients with sepsis. A total of 417 adult patients with sepsis (and of western European descent) were enrolled into this observational study. Blood samples were collected for rs2569190 genotyping. Patients were followed over the course of their stay in the ICU, and the 30-day mortality risk was recorded as the primary outcome parameter. Sepsis-related organ failure assessment (SOFA) scores were quantified at sepsis onset and throughout the observational period to monitor organ failure as a secondary variable. Moreover, organ support-free days were evaluated as a secondary outcome parameter. TT-homozygous patients were compared to C-allele carriers. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis revealed a higher 30-day mortality risk among C-allele carriers compared with T homozygotes (p = 0.0261). To exclude the effect of potential confounders (age, gender, BMI and type of infection) and covariates that varied at baseline with a p-value < 0.2 (e.g., comorbidities), we performed multivariate Cox regression analysis to examine the survival time. The CD14 rs2569190 C allele remained a significant covariate for the 30-day mortality risk in the multivariate analysis (hazard ratio, 2.11; 95% CI, 1.08-4.12; p = 0.0282). The 30-day mortality rate among C allele carriers was 23%, whereas the T homozygotes had a mortality rate of 13%. Additionally, an analysis of organ-specific SOFA scores revealed a significantly higher SOFA-Central nervous system score among patients carrying the C allele compared with T-homozygous patients (1.9±1.1 and 1.6±1.0, respectively; p = 0.0311). In conclusion, CD14 rs2569190 may act as a prognostic variable for the short-term outcome (30-day survival) in patients with sepsis.