Table 2 Comparison of clinical and laboratory characteristics collected at the time of admission between culture negative and culture positive patients

 Systolic blood pressure (mmHg)

122 (108,138)

124 (108,143)

0.397

 Shock (< 90 mmHg)

215 (18.1%)

55 (25.5%)

0.011*

 Pulse rate

100 (85,113)

102 (86,115)

0.165

 Tachycardia (PR > 90/ min)

777 (65.3%)

145 (67.1%)

0.612

 Body temperature

37.2 (36.6, 38.3)

37.5 (36.7, 38.7)

0.024*

 Fever > 38 °C

405 (34.1%)

91 (42.1%)

0.022*

 Hypothermia < 36 °C

22 (1.9%)

9 (4.2%)

0.033*

 WBC count (1000/mm3)

9630 (6092,12,865)

10,760 (716,16,530)

0.003*

 Leukocytosis (WBC > 12,000/mm3)

388 (32.6%)

94 (43.5%)

0.02*

 Leukopenia (WBC < 4000/mm3)

124 (10.4%)

16 (7.4%)

0.173

 Platelet count (1000/mm3)

178 (107–256)

153 (102–223)

0.02*

 Thrombocytopenia (< 150,000/mm3)

479 (40.3%)

105 (48.6%)

0.022*

 Procalcitonin

0.74 (0.16, 5.07)

1.34 (0.30, 10.74)

< 0.001*

 C-reactive protein

76.1 (28.5, 138.8)

72.1 (19.4, 162.8)

0.572

 Lactate

1.8 (1.20–3.07)

2.1 (1.5, 4.4)

0.003*

 Altered consciousness

199 (16.17%)

48 (22.2%)

0.051*

 Acute respiratory failure

266 (22.4%)

58 (26.9%)

0.150

 Acute kidney injury

172 (14.5%)

49 (22.7%)

0.002*

 Acute hepatic dysfunction

232 (19.5%)

57 (26.4%)

0.021*

 Acute hematologic dysfunction

479 (40.3%)

105 (48.6%)

0.022*

 Acute cardiovascular dysfunction

215 (18.1%)

55 (25.5%)

0.011*

 quick SOFA criteria > = 2

191 (16.1%)

43 (19.9%)

0.163

 MEDS score

6 (3,9)

8 (5,11)

<  0.001

 Hospital

13 (7, 21)

15 (8, 26)

0.003

 90-day mortality

153 (12.9%)

46 (21.3%)

0.001

 Early (30-day) mortality

98 (8.2%)

19 (8.8%)

0.786

 Late (30–90 day) mortality

55 (4.6%)

27 (12.5%)

< 0.001