Comparison of Early Versus Late Adjunctive Vasopressin and Corticosteroids in Patients With Septic Shock

Background Vasopressin (VP) and hydrocortisone (HC) have been shown to improve outcomes in patients with septic shock. However, there is very little literature addressing the impact of the timing of the combination. Objective This study was conducted to evaluate the impact of early versus late initiation of both VP and HC on time to shock reversal in septic shock patients. Methods This was a retrospective study conducted at a tertiary academic medical center. Data were collected from system-generated reports, which were used to identify patients with septic shock who were admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU) and received both VP and HC. The primary endpoint was time to shock reversal. Patients were divided into the “early” group if both VP and HC were initiated within 12 hours of vasopressor initiation or into the “late” group if either VP or HC (or both agents) were initiated after 12 hours of vasopressor initiation. Results A total of 122 patients were included in the analysis. Early initiation was associated with a shorter time to shock reversal (34 hours vs 65 hours; P = 0.012) compared to late initiation. There were no differences in ICU length of stay, mortality, the number patients requiring renal replacement therapy, or the duration of mechanical ventilation in either group. Conclusion and relevance Our study addressed a major gap in the literature and suggests that adding the combination of VP and HC within 12 hours of septic shock may be associated with improved patient outcomes.