Plasma free fatty acids (FFAs) are thought to play a role in the generation of organ dysfunction. The investigators hypothesize that plasma FFA levels are a marker of poor prognosis in patients with sepsis. The present study will examine the relation between plasma FFA levels and severity of illness in patients with sepsis presenting to the Emergency Department. It will also examine the relation between plasma FFA levels and the risk of developing late morbidity, multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) and/or mortality during initial hospitalization and over a 30-day follow-up period.