Table 3

Vital signs and laboratory workup of patients with cancer presenting to the emergency department with sepsis

Solid tumours (N=305)Liquid tumours (N=137)P value
Temperature (°C), (mean±SD)(37.22±0.94)(37.72±1.14)<0.0001
Temperature ≥38.5°C42 (14.3)37 (27.6)0.001
Heart rate (beats/min), (mean±SD)(109.29±23.25)(111.53±25.12)0.01
Heart rate ≥100194 (64.0)102 (75.0)0.02
Systolic blood pressure (SBP) (mm Hg), (mean±SD)(110.39±26.45)(114.56±22.43)0.09
Diastolic blood pressure (mm Hg), (mean±SD)(63.11±17.99)(62.59±15.82)0.77
Respiratory rate (breaths/min), (mean±SD)(22.99±6.54)(22.08±5.68)0.17
Oxygen saturation (%), (mean±SD)(93.50±8.45)(95.52±6.76)0.02
Oxygen saturation <90%58 (19.3)17 (12.9)0.11
qSOFA criteria
 Altered mental status80 (26.2)27 (19.7)0.14
 Respiratory rate >22134 (43.9)65 (47.4)0.49
 SBP <100127 (41.6)49 (35.8)0.24
 ≥2, n (%)108 (35.4)41 (29.9)0.26
Lactate at presentation (mean±SD)(3.81±2.82)(3.72±3.28)0.8
Albumin (mean±SD)(25.59±6.06)(29.45±7.35)0
Glucose (mean±SD)(147.47±71.03)(143.65±67.27)0.66
WCC (mean±SD)(12.58±10.52)(9.14.23±16. 48)0.03
ANC (mean±SD)(10.67 ±9.25)(3.38±5.30)<0.0001
Haemoglobin (mean±SD)(105.4±20.1)(95.7±20.9)<0.0001
BUN (mean±SD)(36.21±26.13)(27.43±25.76)<0.0001
Creatinine (mean±SD)(1.61±1.44)(1.20±0.97)<0.0001
Baseline creatinine (mean±SD)(2.08±0.92)(2.03±1.00)0.86
Sodium (mean±SD)(134.15±6.26)(135.92±5.25)0.002
Bicarbonate (mean±SD)(20.52±5.66)(22.16±4.90)0.002
Total bilirubin (mean±SD)(2.91±5.45)(0.83±0.67)<0.0001
Troponin (mean±SD)(0.11±0.13)(0.08±0.08)0.48
INR (mean±SD)(1.83±3.17)(1.68±1.16)0.71
pH arterial (mean±SD)(7.35±0.91)(7.39±0.08)0.03
  • Temperature in °C, heart rate in beats/minute, SBP and diastolic blood pressure in mm Hg, respiratory rate in breaths/minute, oxygen saturation in %, WCC in x109/L, ANC in x109/L, haemoglobin in g/L, haematocrit in %, BUN, creatinine, phosphate, calcium, magnesium, total bilirubin in mg/dL.

  • Sodium, potassium,bicarbonate, chloride in mmol/L, PT and PTT in seconds, PaCO2, PaO2/FiO2 in mm Hg.

  • ANC, absolute neutrophil count; BUN, blood urea nitrogen; INR, international normalised ratio; PaCO2, partial pressure of carbon dioxide; PaO2/FiO2, partial pressure of oxygen/ fraction of inspired oxygen; PT, prothrombin time; PTT, partial thromboplastin time; qSOFA, quick sepsis-related organ failure assessment; WCC, white cell count.