Editor’s Capsule Summary
What is already known on this topic
International consensus sepsis definitions have recently changed (Third International Consensus Definitions for Sepsis and Septic Shock [Sepsis-3]). The effect of this change on identification and outcomes of patients compared with that of previous sepsis definitions (Sepsis-2) is unknown.
What question this study addressed
How do categories of patients classified by both Sepsis-2 and -3 criteria compare both in terms of definitional overlap and outcomes?
What this study adds to our knowledge
Most patients who met the Sepsis-2 definitions of severe sepsis or septic shock did not meet the Sepsis-3 criteria for septic shock. A quarter of patients meeting Sepsis-3 criteria did not fulfill quick Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (qSOFA) criteria.
How this is relevant to clinical practice
qSOFA appears to have limited utility as a sepsis screening tool in the emergency department. Sepsis-3 may miss patients considered to have sepsis by Sepsis-2 definitions.