Empiric Antibiotic Treatment Reduces Mortality in Severe Sepsis and Septic Shock From the First Hour

Compelling evidence has shown that aggressive resuscitation bundles, adequate source control, appropriate antibiotic therapy, and organ support are cornerstone for the success in the treatment of patients with sepsis. Delay in the initiation of appropriate antibiotic therapy has been recognized as a risk factor for mortality. To perform a retrospective analysis on the Surviving Sepsis Campaign database to evaluate the relationship between timing of antibiotic administration and mortality.

Retrospective analysis of a large dataset collected prospectively for the Surviving Sepsis Campaign.