Cardiovascular response to dobutamine stress predicts outcome in severe sepsis and septic shock
2008

Cardiovascular Response to Dobutamine Stress in Severe Sepsis

Sample size: 23 publication Evidence: high

Author Information

Author(s): Kumar Anand, Schupp Elizabeth, Bunnell Eugene, Ali Amjad, Milcarek Barry, Parrillo Joseph E

Primary Institution: University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

Hypothesis

The study aims to assess cardiovascular and metabolic responses to dobutamine as correlates of outcome in patients with severe sepsis or septic shock.

Conclusion

Survivors maintain cardiac responsiveness to catecholamine stimulation during septic shock, and survival is associated with increased cardiac performance during dobutamine infusion.

Supporting Evidence

  • Increased stroke volume index was significantly associated with survival (p = 0.0003).
  • Survivors showed greater increases in left ventricular ejection fraction during dobutamine infusion (p = 0.0160).
  • The study found that stroke volume index response was the dominant predictor of survival.

Takeaway

This study shows that how well your heart responds to a medicine called dobutamine can help doctors know if someone with a serious infection will survive.

Methodology

A prospective, non-randomised, non-blinded interventional study of graded dobutamine challenge in adult patients with severe sepsis or septic shock.

Potential Biases

Potential unmeasured confounders could affect the results.

Limitations

The study's findings need further validation in larger populations and may not imply causation.

Participant Demographics

23 adult patients (10 male, 13 female) with severe sepsis or septic shock.

Statistical Information

P-Value

0.0003

Statistical Significance

p<0.05

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1186/cc6814

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