Documentation of Body Mass Index is Associated with an Improvement of Mortality in Sepsis: Analysis of MIMIC-III Database

Abstract Purpose: While improving outcomes in septic patients is currently becoming one of the hot research topics, the contribution of a body mass index (BMI) medical record to altering outcomes among septic patients in intensive care units (ICU) has not been examined. This study was designed to examine the association of BMI record with mortality specifically in ICU septic patients.Methods: The MIMIC-III database was employed to identify septic patients who had or had not measured height and weight to calculate BMI. Propensity score analysis was used to minimize confounders. The comparative risks of outcomes were further adjusted in the matched cohort with the use of a Cox proportional-hazards regression model. Kaplan-Meier survivor curve was plotted for outcomes in the propensity-score-matched cohort.Results: Among 10418 eligible septic patients, 4157 patients who had measured height and weight (BMI group) and 4157 patients who had not measured height and weight (No-BMI group) had similar propensity score. Significant benefit in terms of hospital mortality was observed among BMI group, compared to No-BMI group (19.24% vs. 24.44%, p<0.001). 30-day mortality (20.30% vs. 26.36%, p<0.001) and 1 year mortality (38.66% vs. 44.17%, p<0.001) was significantly higher in No-BMI group.Conclusions: In a general population of critically ill patients with sepsis, documentation of BMI is associated with an improvement of mortality