Systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS)

Systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS)

• defined as 2 or more of the following variables:
  • fever of more than 38°C (100.4°F) or less than 36°C (96.8°F)
    
    
  • heart rate of more than 90 beats per minute
    
    
  • respiratory rate of more than 20 breaths per minute or arterial carbon dioxide tension (PaCO 2) of less than 32 mm Hg
    
    
  • abnormal white blood cell count (>12,000/µL or < 4,000/µL or >10% immature [band] forms)

SIRS is nonspecific

• not always related to infection - can be caused by ischaemia, inflammation, trauma, infection, or several insults combined

Reference

1. Kaukonen KM, Bailey M, Pilcher D, Cooper DJ, Bellomo R. Systemic inflammatory response syndrome criteria in defining severe sepsis. N Engl J Med. 2015 Apr 23;372(17):1629-38