Impact of a qSOFA-based triage procedure on antibiotic timing in ED patients with sepsis: A prospective interventional study

Background It has not been investigated whether the quick sepsis-related organ failure assessment score (qSOFA), a new bedside tool for early sepsis detection, may help accelerating antibiotic initiation in ED patients with sepsis. Methods In this prospective pre/post quasi-experimental single-ED study, patients admitted with a suspected bacterial infection were managed using standard triage procedures only (baseline) or in association with qSOFA (intervention, with prioritization of patients with a qSOFA ≥ 2). Results A total of 151/328 (46.0%) and 185/350 (52.8%) patients with definite bacterial infection met the criteria for sepsis in the baseline and intervention periods, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of a qSOFA ≥ 2 for sepsis prediction were 17.3% (95% confidence interval [CI], 13.6%–21.7%) and 98.8% (95% CI, 97.0%–99.5%). Eleven (7.3%) and 28 (13.5%) patients with sepsis in the baseline and intervention periods received a first antibiotic dose within one hour following triage (primary endpoint, absolute difference 6.2%, 95% CI [−0.5%, 12.7%], P = 0.08). The proportions of patients with sepsis receiving a first antibiotic dose within three hours following triage (39.7% [50/151] versus 36.8% [68/185], absolute difference − 2.9%, 95% CI [−13.3%, 7.3%], P = 0.65), requiring ICU admission, or dying in the hospital were similar in both periods. The median ED occupation rate at triage was 104.3% (interquartile range [IQR], 80.4%–128.3%), with a median number of 157 ED visits per day (IQR, 147–169). Conclusions A qSOFA-based triage procedure does not improve antibiotic timing and outcomes in patients with sepsis admitted to a high-volume ED. The qSOFA value at triage was poorly sensitive for early sepsis detection. Trial registration ( ClinicalTrials.gov ): NCT03299894 .