Patient-related determinants of host response and sepsis outcome

Sepsis is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in intensive care unit patients. In this review, the results of studies with specific research questions performed within a large prospective observational study on sepsis in the Netherlands are discussed. The studies investigated various factors that may affect the host response during sepsis, and may have an impact on the outcome, including prior medication (antiplatelet agents, calcium channel blockers, and statins), HIV infection, and hypothermia. Neither prior medication nor HIV infection were associated with large differences in the host response during sepsis, whereas only prior use of calcium channel blockers was associated with an improved outcome. In addition, while hypothermia was not associated with an altered immune response, there was an independent association between hypothermia and mortality.