The following is the summary of “Association of sepsis-induced cardiomyopathy and mortality: a systematic review and meta-analysis” published in the December 2022 Issue of Intensive Care by Lin, et al.

Whether or not sepsis-induced cardiomyopathy (SIC) has a negative impact on prognosis and whether or not it is associated with mortality at various stages is still debatable. Researchers did a systematic review and meta-analysis to further understand the correlation between SIC and mortality in septic patients. They searched PubMed and Embase for observational studies on SIC-related mortality in septic patients from their start until July 8, 2021, and critically assessed those research. 

Deaths occurring while hospitalized and deaths occurring within a month were considered outcomes. For this analysis, investigators used a random-effects model to compare those with and without SIC in terms of their relative risk of death. The results’ variability was analyzed using meta-regression, subgroup, and sensitivity analyses. Their analysis of 20 studies with 4,410 septic patients found no statistically significant statistically significant association between SIC and increased in-hospital mortality compared to non-SIC (risk ratio(RR) 1.28, [0.96-1.71]; P=0.09) but found a statistically significant association in patients with hospital stays of more than 10 days (RR 1.40, [1.02-1.93]; P=0.04).

In addition, there was a statistically significant correlation between SIC and an increased risk of death within the first month (RR 1.47, [1.17-1.86]; P<0.01). Patients with SIC who had right ventricular dysfunction had a higher risk of dying within a month compared to those with left ventricular dysfunction (RR 1.72, [1.27-2.34]; P<0.01), but the reverse   

Their results suggest that SIC may continue impacting the host’s system even after recovery from cardiomyopathy, with increased in-hospital mortality in those hospitalized for more than 10 days and 1-month mortality. Furthermore, right ventricular dysfunction may have an important role in SIC-related mortality, making prompt biventricular evaluation critical in the management of septic patients.

Source: annalsofintensivecare.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s13613-022-01089-3