Association between outcome and organ system dysfunction in dogs with sepsis: 114 cases (2003–2007)
Eileen M. Kenney, DVM; Elizabeth A. Rozanski, DVM, DACVIM, DACVECC; John E. Rush, DVM, MS, DACVECC, DACVIM; Armelle M. deLaforcade-Buress, DVM, DACVECC; John R. Berg, DVM, DACVS;Deborah C. Silverstein, DVM, DACVECC; Catalina D. Montealegre, DVM; L. Ari Jutkowitz, VMD, DACVECC;Sophie Adamantos, BVSc, DACVECC; Dianna H. Ovbey, DVM; Soren R. Boysen, DVM, DACVECC;Scott P. Shaw, DVM, DACVECC
Department of Clinical Sciences, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Tufts University, North Grafton, MA 01536. (Kenney, Rozanski, Rush, deLaforcade-Buress, Berg, Shaw); Tufts Veterinary Emergency Treatment and Specialties, 525 South St, Walpole, MA 02081. (Kenney, deLaforcade-Buress); Department of Clinical Studies-Philadelphia, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104. (Silverstein, Montealegre); Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824. (Jutkowitz); Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, North Mymms, Hatfield, Herts AL9 7TA, England. (Adamantos); Department of Small Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602. (Ovbey); Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Montreal, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC J2S 7C6, Canada. (Boysen)
Objective—To determine whether multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) could be identified in dogs with sepsis secondary to gastrointestinal tract leakage, and whether the number of affected organ systems was significantly associated with mortality rate.
Design—Multicenter retrospective case series.
Animals—114 dogs.
Procedures—Medical records for dogs treated surgically because of sepsis secondary to gastrointestinal tract leakage between 2003 and 2007 were reviewed. Sepsis was diagnosed on the basis of results of bacterial culture of peritoneal fluid, gross evidence of gastrointestinal tract leakage at surgery, or both. Renal dysfunction was defined as a ≥ 0.5 mg/dL increase in serum creatinine concentration after surgery. Cardiovascular dysfunction was defined as hypotension requiring vasopressor treatment. Respiratory dysfunction was defined as a need for supplemental oxygen administration or mechanical ventilation. Hepatic dysfunction was defined as a serum bilirubin concentration > 0.5 mg/dL. Dysfunction of coagulation was defined as prolonged prothrombin time, prolonged partial thromboplastin time, or platelet count ≤ 100,000/μL.
Results—89 (78%) dogs had dysfunction of 1 or more organ systems, and 57 (50%) dogs had MODS. Mortality rate increased as the number of dysfunctional organ systems increased. Mortality rate was 70% (40/57) for dogs with MODS and 25% (14/57) for dogs without.
Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Results indicated that MODS, defined as dysfunction of at least 2 organ systems, can be identified in dogs with sepsis and that organ system dysfunction increased the odds of death.
January 1, 2010, Vol. 236, No. 1, Pages 83-87
doi: 10.2460/javma.236.1.83
