Scientific Poster Session III - Original Research

Abstract

Research Question or Hypothesis: Does the addition of fludrocortisone to hydrocortisone result in increased resolution of septic shock compared to hydrocortisone alone?

Study Design: This single-center, retrospective cohort study identified patients admitted to the surgical or trauma ICU over a 2-year period who received either hydrocortisone plus fludrocortisone or hydrocortisone alone for the treatment of septic shock.

Methods: Patient demographics and clinical data were manually extracted through chart review. Appropriate statistical analyses were performed to determine differences between the treatment approaches.

Results: A total of 60 patients were included in the analysis, 30 patients in each group. Baseline demographics did not differ between those who received hydrocortisone + fludrocortisone and those who received hydrocortisone alone. Illness severity scores, as evidenced by a median APACHE II Score, were similar (24.5 vs. 25, P= 0.9). Intra-abdominal infections were the primary source of sepsis in both groups (46.7% vs. 43%, P= 0.7). The primary outcome of time to vasopressor cessation in the hydrocortisone + fludrocortisone group was 3.70 days [2.62-4.95] compared to 3.00 days [2.20-3.85] in the hydrocortisone alone group (P= 0.040). Secondary outcomes such as hospital length of stay, ICU length of stay, and disposition were similar.

Conclusion: The combination of hydrocortisone and fludrocortisone did not result in a faster resolution of septic shock compared to the use of hydrocortisone.

Presenting Author

Authors