Impact of the pre-illness lipid profile on sepsis mortality.

PURPOSE

To determine if baseline lipid levels contribute to the relationship between lipid levels during sepsis and outcomes.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We conducted a retrospective cohort study at a tertiary-care academic medical center. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to adjust for confounders. Both Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (SIRS) and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score-based definitions of sepsis were analyzed.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

After adjusting for patient characteristics and severity of illness, baseline values for both low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and triglycerides were associated with mortality (LDL cholesterol odds ratio [OR] 0.44, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.23-0.84, p = .013; triglyceride OR 0.54, 95% CI 0.37-0.78, p = .001) using a SIRS based definition of sepsis. An interaction existed between these two variables, which resulted in increased mortality with higher baseline low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol values for individuals with triglycerides below 208 mg/dL and the opposite direction of association above this level (interaction OR 1.48, 95% CI 1.02-2.16, p = .039). When using a SOFA score-based definition, only triglycerides remained associated with the mortality (OR 0.55, 95% CI 0.35-0.86, p = .008).

CONCLUSIONS

Baseline lipid values, particularly triglyceride concentrations, are associated with hospital mortality in septic patients.