When other factors (age, bilirubin concentration, creatinine concentration, prothrombin time, albumin concentration, white blood cell count and centre) were controlled for by Cox proportional hazards analysis, infection remained a significant risk factor for death at 28 days (hazard ratio 1.92, 95% confidence interval 1.25–2.94, p = 0.002), 90 days (hazard ratio 2.33, 95% confidence interval 1.63–3.35, p < 0.001) and 12 months (hazard ratio 2.01, 95% confidence interval 1.41–2.84, p < 0.001) after admission (Table S3, Fig. S1). This evidence concerns the gene ALB and infection.