Evidence map›Paper›PMID 29404582›Full record

SynthesisAnnals of internal medicine2018

Prognostic Accuracy of the Quick Sequential Organ Failure Assessment for Mortality in Patients With Suspected Infection: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Shannon M Fernando, Alexandre Tran, Monica Taljaard, Wei Cheng, Bram Rochwerg, Andrew J E Seely, Jeffrey J Perry

Abstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Annals of internal medicine, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 126 papers, 9 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
126citing papers in PubMed, 9 pooled it
24.3field-weighted citation impact, top 1% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

126 citing papers in PubMed, 9 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 269 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. [S3 guideline on sepsis-prevention, diagnosis, therapy, and follow-up care-update 2025].Medizinische Klinik, Intensivmedizin und Notfallmedizin · 2025
    Guideline
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66 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors at 4 institutions in 1 country.

Shannon M FernandoUniversity of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada (S.M.F., A.T.).
Alexandre TranUniversity of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada (S.M.F., A.T.).
Monica TaljaardUniversity of Ottawa and Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada (M.T., A.J.S., J.J.P.).
Wei ChengOttawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada (W.C.).
Bram RochwergMcMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada (B.R.).
Andrew J E SeelyUniversity of Ottawa and Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada (M.T., A.J.S., J.J.P.).
Jeffrey J PerryUniversity of Ottawa and Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada (M.T., A.J.S., J.J.P.).
University of Ottawa · CAOttawa Hospital · CAMcMaster University · CAOttawa Hospital Research Institute

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: The quick Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (qSOFA) has been proposed for prediction of mortality in patients with suspected infection. Purpose: To summarize and compare the prognostic accuracy of qSOFA and the systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) criteria for prediction of mortality in adult patients with suspected infection. Data Sources: Four databases from inception through November 2017. Study Selection: English-language studies using qSOFA for prediction of mortality (in-hospital, 28-day, or 30-day) in adult patients with suspected infection in the intensive care unit (ICU), emergency department (ED), or hospital wards. Data Extraction: Two investigators independently extracted data and assessed study quality using standard criteria. Data Synthesis: Thirty-eight studies were included (n = 385 333). qSOFA was associated with a pooled sensitivity of 60.8% (95% CI, 51.4% to 69.4%) and a pooled specificity of 72.0% (CI, 63.4% to 79.2%) for mortality. The SIRS criteria were associated with a pooled sensitivity of 88.1% (CI, 82.3% to 92.1%) and a pooled specificity of 25.8% (CI, 17.1% to 36.9%). The pooled sensitivity of qSOFA was higher in the ICU population (87.2% [CI, 75.8% to 93.7%]) than the non-ICU population (51.2% [CI, 43.6% to 58.7%]). The pooled specificity of qSOFA was higher in the non-ICU population (79.6% [CI, 73.3% to 84.7%]) than the ICU population (33.3% [CI, 23.8% to 44.4%]). Limitation: Potential risk of bias in included studies due to qSOFA interpretation and patient selection. Conclusion: qSOFA had poor sensitivity and moderate specificity for short-term mortality. The SIRS criteria had sensitivity superior to that of qSOFA, supporting their use for screening of patients and as a prompt for treatment initiation. Primary Funding Source: Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians. (PROSPERO: CRD42017075964).

Indexed as

Organ Dysfunction ScoresDecision Support TechniquesEmergency Service, HospitalHospital MortalityHumansIntensive Care UnitsPredictive Value of TestsPrognosisSepsisSystemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome

Identifiers

PMID29404582
OpenAlexW2788736459

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.