New-Onset Atrial Fibrillation as a Sepsis-Defining Organ Failure

Sepsis has been defined as a life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by a dysregulated host response to infection. The concept of organ dysfunction was operationalized via the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score. The SOFA measure calculated from blood pressure and vasopressor dose. It has also been hypothesized that the new onset of atrial fibrillation (AF) during sepsis is an observable life-threatening organ dysfunction due to a dysregulated response to infection.