De patienter, som levede op til diagnosen svær sepsis havde a) kendt eller mistænkt infektion, b) kliniske tegn på en systemisk reaktion på infektion inklusiv feber eller hypotermi, leukopeni eller leukocytose, takykardi og takypnø og c) akut organ - dysfunktion.
Patients meeting the clinical diagnosis of severe sepsis had a) known or suspected infection, b) clinical evidence of systemic response to infection including fever or hypothermia, leucopenia or leucocytosis, tachycardia and tachypnoea, and c) acute organ dysfunction.