Comparison of SIRS criteria and qSOFA score for identifying culture-positive sepsis in the emergency department: A prospective cross-sectional multicenter study

OBJECTIVE: To compare the daily practice of two Emergency Departments (ED) in the Netherlands, where SIRS criteria and qSOFA score are used differently as screening tool for culture-positive sepsis.

DESIGN: A prospective cross-sectional multicenter study.

SETTING: Two EDs at two European clinical teaching hospitals in the Netherlands.

PARTICIPANTS: 760 patients with suspected infection who meet SIRS criteria or have a qualifying qSOFA score who were treated at two EDs in the Netherlands from 1st January 2018 until 1st March 2018 were included.

METHODS: SIRS criteria and qSOFA score were calculated for each patient. The first hospital treated patients who met SIRS criteria following the worldwide Surviving Sepsis Campaign protocol. At the second hospital, only patients who met the qualifying qSOFA score received this treatment. Therefore, patients could be divided into five groups (1: SIRS+, qSOFA-, not treated according protocol (reference group); 2: SIRS+, qSOFA-, treated a...