Point prevalence of general ward patients fulfilling criteria for systemic inflammatory response syndrome.

The systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) is defined by abnormal temperature, heart rate, minute ventilation or white cell count and can be due to infectious or non-infectious causes. In a single day, 23% of hospital ward patients fulfilled SIRS criteria. Patients with SIRS were more likely to be under medical than surgical units. One-third of the patients had evidence of infection. There was no association between SIRS criteria and increased mortality or hospital length of stay.