A total of one hundred eighty African patients (97men and 83 women) were included in the study. Eighty patients developed septic complication during ICU stay (sepsis group). Eighty patients were critically ill without evidence of infectious organism (SIRS group). Patients received anti-inflammatory drugs or corticosteroids before admission, who had immunosuppressive illness, who had chronic organ failure; who had received massive blood transfusion; those with radiation therapy, previous organ transplantation were excluded from the study. At admission, the patient's age, sex, height and weight were recorded. These data include the following: clinical status; sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score; temperature; heart rate; respiratory rate; blood pressure; central venous pressure; laboratory analysis (complete blood count, blood urea nitrogen, blood sugar, serum sodium, potassium, calcium, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, prothrombin time, albumin and CRP) and arterial blood gas analysis. Routine cultures of blood, urine and suspected sites were obtained to determine the presence of infection. We attempted to maintain the patient hemoglobin level at 10-12g/dl and central venous pressure at 8-12 cmH2o. If needed, blood products, intravascular fluid replacement and inotropic and/or vasopressor agents were administered. Each day the attending physician in the ICU evaluated all the study patients for sepsis, severe sepsis, or septic shock.