Could a protocol based on early goal-directed therapy improve outcomes in patients with severe sepsis and septic shock in the Intensive Care Unit setting?

CONTEXT: Sepsis is a disease with high incidence and mortality. Among the interventions of the resuscitation bundle, the early goal-directed therapy (EGDT) is recommended.

AIMS: The aim was to evaluate outcomes in patients with severe sepsis and septic shock using EGDT in real life compared with patients who did not undergo it in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) setting.

SETTINGS AND DESIGN: retrospective and observational cohort study at tertiary hospital.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS: All the patients admitted to ICU were screened for severe sepsis or septic shock and included in a registry and followed. The patients were allocated in two groups according to submission or not to EGDT.

RESULTS: A total of 268 adult patients with severe sepsis or septic shock were included. EGDT was employed in 97/268 patients. The general mortality was higher in no early goal-directed therapy (no-EGDT) then in EGDT groups (49.7% vs. 37.1% [P = 0.04] in hospital and 40.4% vs. 29.9% [P = 0.08] in the ICU, respectively. The general length of stay [LOS] in the no-EGDT and EGDT groups was 45.0 ± 59.8 vs. 29.1 ± 30.1 days [P = 0.002] in hospital and 17.4 ± 19.4 vs. 9.1 ± 9.8 days [P < 0.001] in the ICU, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS: Our study shows reduced mortality and LOS in patients submitted to EGDT in the ICU setting. A simplified EGDT without central venous oxygen saturation is an important tool for sepsis management.