Characteristics of septic patients.

When not otherwise specified, demographic and clinical data are referred to the time of blood sample collection, and means ± SEM values are shown for each group; + : present; − : absent;**septic shock: when present, lactate concentration (mmol/L) is shown in brackets; ¶ involved organs at the time of blood sample collection (present) or additional organ involvement in the following 3 days (following); Res: respiratory failure; Ren: renal failure, Hep: hepatic failure; DIC = Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation;***outcome A: alive, D: dead.