CRP and Sepsis: When stratified for clinical improvement or impairment according to the above-mentioned subgroups, both CRP and PCT were not shown to be associated with 30-day all-cause mortality within pre-specified subgroups (i.e., initial sepsis without impairment; initial sepsis progressing to septic shock; initial septic shock improving to sepsis without shock; and initial septic shock without clinical improvement) (Figs. 5 and 6).