However, as noted by the 2001 task force, many
bedside examination findings and routine laboratory test results are indicative of inflammation or organ dysfunction.10 The task force therefore evaluated which clinical criteria best identified infected patients most likely to have sepsis.
In two of these patients, however, subsequent assessment at the
bedside revealed some behavioral evidence of awareness, a
finding that underscores the importance of thorough clinical
examination for reducing the rate of misdiagnosis in such patients.