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The prognostic value of muscle StO2 in septic patients

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Abstract

Objective:

To quantify sepsis-induced alterations in changes in muscle tissue oxygenation (StO2) after an ischemic challenge using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), and to test the hypothesis that these alterations are related to outcome.

Design

Prospective study.

Setting

Thirty-one-bed, university hospital Department of Intensive Care.

Patients

Seventy-two patients with severe sepsis or septic shock, 18 hemodynamically stable, acutely ill patients without infection, and 18 healthy volunteers.

Interventions

Three-minute occlusion of the brachial artery using a cuff inflated 50 mmHg above systolic arterial pressure.

Measurements and main results

Thenar eminence StO2 was measured continuously by NIRS before (StO2baseline), during, and after the 3-min occlusion. Changes in StO2 were assessed by the slope of increase in StO2 during the first 14 s following the ischemic period and by the difference between the maximum StO2 and StO2baseline (Δ). The slope was lower in septic patients than in controls and volunteers [2.3 (1.3–3.6), 4.8 (3.5–6.0), and 4.7 (3.2–6.3) %/s, p < 0.001]. Δ was also significantly lower in septic patients than in the other groups. Slopes were lower in septic patients with than without shock [2.0 (1.2–2.9) vs 3.2 (1.8–4.5) %/s, p < 0.05]. In 52 septic patients, in whom the slope was obtained every 24 h for 48 h, slopes were higher in survivors than in non-survivors and tended to increase in survivors but not in non-survivors.

Conclusions

Altered recovery in StO2 after an ischemic challenge is frequent in septic patients and more pronounced in the presence of shock. The presence and persistence of these alterations in the first 24 h of sepsis are associated with worse outcome.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Intensive Care, Erasme University Hospital, Free University of Brussels, Route de Lennik 808, 1070, Brussels, Belgium

    Jacques Creteur, Tiziana Carollo, Giulia Soldati, Gustavo Buchele, Daniel De Backer & Jean-Louis Vincent

Authors
  1. Jacques Creteur
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  2. Tiziana Carollo
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  3. Giulia Soldati
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  4. Gustavo Buchele
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  5. Daniel De Backer
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  6. Jean-Louis Vincent
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Correspondence to Jean-Louis Vincent.

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Creteur, J., Carollo, T., Soldati, G. et al. The prognostic value of muscle StO2 in septic patients. Intensive Care Med 33, 1549–1556 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00134-007-0739-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00134-007-0739-3

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