Year: 2009
Type: book-review
Abstract: Expanded AbstractCitationSprung CL, Annane D, Keh D, Moreno R, Singer M, Freivogel K, Weiss YG, Benbenishty J, Kalenka A, Forst H, Laterre PF, Reinhart K, Cuthbertson BH, Payen D, Briegel J: Hydrocortisone therapy for patients with septic shock. N Engl J Med 2008, 358: 111–124 [1].BackgroundHydrocortisone is widely used in patients with septic shock, even though a survival benefit has been reported only in patients who remained hypotensive after fluid and vasopressor resuscitation and whose plasma cortisol levels did not rise appropriately after the administration of corticotropin.MethodsObjectiveTo evaluate the efficacy and safety of low-dose hydrocortisone therapy in a broad population of patients with septic shock – in particular, patients who had had a response to a corticotropin test, in whom a benefit was unproven.DesignMulti-center, prospective randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.SettingInternational study involving 52 intensive care units.Subjects499 patients 18 years or older with the diagnosis of septic shock.Intervention251 patients received 50 mg of intravenous hydrocortisone and 248 patients received placebo every 6 hours for 5 days; the dose was then tapered over a 6-day period. A short corticotropin test was performed from blood samples taken immediately before and 60 minutes after an intravenous administration of 250 mcg of cosyntropin prior to administration of hydrocortisone.OutcomesPrimary outcome was the mortality rate at 28 days in patients who did not have a response to corticotropin. Secondary outcomes included 28-day mortality in corticotropin responders and in all patients; length of stay; reversal of organ failure; and rates of new infection, hypernatremia and hyperglycemia.ResultsOf the 499 patients in the study, 233 (46.7%) did not have a response to corticotropin (125 in the hydrocortisone group and 108 in the placebo group). At 28 days, there was no significant difference in mortality between patients in the two study groups who did not have a response to corticotropin (39.2% in the hydrocortisone group and 36.1% in the placebo group, P = 0.69) or in patients who had a response to corticotropin (28.8% in the hydrocortisone group and 28.7% in the placebo group, P = 1.00). Mortality at 28 days included 86 of 251 patients in the hydrocortisone group (34.3%) and 78 of 248 patients in the placebo group (31.5%) (P = 0.51). Shock reversal was quicker in the hydrocortisone group compared to the placebo group. However, there were more episodes of super infection, including new sepsis and septic shock in the hydrocortisone group.ConclusionHydrocortisone did not improve survival in patients with septic shock, either overall or in patients who did not have a response to corticotropin. However, hydrocortisone hastened reversal of shock in all study patients.Trial Registration(ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00147004.)
Source: Critical Care
DOI: 10.1186/cc7986
Institution: University of Pittsburgh
Language: English
Subfield: Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $4,190
OpenAlex ID: W2041735473