Table 1 Clinical characteristics of the critically ill ICU patients assessed
|  | SIRS (n = 28) | Sepsis (n = 11) |
|---|---|---|
Age | 59.8 (3.8) | 58.4 (7.2) |
Male gender | 17 (60.7%) | 6 (54.5%) |
APACHE II score | 16.6 (4 to 29) | 20.0 (5 to 26) |
Patients from trauma ICU | 11 (39.3%) | 5 (45.4%) |
Patients from surgical ICU | 17 (60.7%) | 6 (54.6%) |
Average hospital length of stay (days) | 31.1 (5.1) | 58.4* (10.5) |
Site of infection | Â | Â |
 Lung |  | 5 (45.4%) |
 Blood |  | 2 (18.2%) |
 Abdominal |  | 1 (9.1%) |
 Urinary tract |  | 1 (9.1%) |
 Skin |  | 1 (9.1%) |
 Catheter |  | 1 (9.1%) |
Subsequent nosocomial infection | 11 (39.2%) | 8 (72.7%) |
Site of infection | Â | Â |
 Lung | 3 (27.3%) | 4 (50%) |
 Abdominal | 1 (9.1%) | 0 (0%) |
 Urinary tract | 5 (45.4%) | 3 (37.5%) |
 Skin | 2 (18.2%) | 1 (10%) |
Sampling time following ICU admission (days) | 4 (0 to 45) | 21 (3 to 83) |
Days following subsequent infection | Â | Â |
 Following ICU admission |  | 31.7 (9 to 94) |
 Following sampling |  | 22.38 (6 to 49) |