Table 1 Study characteristics for included studies
AUTHOR | YEAR PUBLISHED | NUMBER OF PATIENTS | COUNTRY | DESIGN | CLINICAL SETTING | FUNDING | DROPOUTS | INCLUSION CRITERIA | EXCLUSION CRITERIA | AGE RANGE | TIMING OF SAMPLING | REFERENCE STANDARDS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BENITO | 2013 | 1077 | Spain | Prospective cohort study | Paediatric ED | Industry | 42 | Fever without source | Focal infection Prior antibiotic therapy Immunodeficiency | 1 to 36 months of age | Prior to antibiotics | Culture/PCR from sterile site |
HAGAG | 2010 | 60 | Egypt | Case-control | Neonatal Intensive Care | None declared | 0 | 20 “Mild Sepsis” 20 “Severe Sepsis” 20 “Controls” | None reported | New-borns | Prior to antibiotics | Severity of sepsis |
LAN | 2019 | 139 | China | Case-control | Intensive Care | State funded | 0 | 94 “Sepsis” 25 “SIRS”a 20 “Controls” | Severe chronic disease Diabetes Specific medications Burns Myocardial infarction Heart failure Rheumatic disease Death within 24 h of admission Incomplete data sets | 6 to 12 years of age | Within one hour of admission to intensive care | Severity of sepsis |
ONCEL | 2012 | 128 | Spain | Case-control | Neonatal Intensive Care | No declared | 4 | 31“Proven Sepsis” 45“Clinical Sepsis” 52 “Controls” | Maternal heart failure or preeclampsia Intracranial bleed | New-borns | Within 6 h of diagnosis of sepsis | Proven sepsis Clinical sepsis |