The effects of prostacyclin on gastric intramucosal pH in patients with septic shock.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate whether infusing prostacyclin (PGI2) in patients with septic shock improves splanchnic oxygenation as assessed by gastric intramucosal pH (pHi).


METHODS
Interventional clinical study.


METHODS
Surgical ICU in a university hospital.


METHODS
16 consecutive patients with septic shock according to the criteria of the ACCP/SCCM consensus conference all requiring norepinephrine to maintain arterial blood pressure.


METHODS
All patients received PGI2 (10 ng/kg x min) after no further increase in oxygen delivery could be obtained by volume expansion, red cell transfusion and dobutamine infusion. The results were compared with those before and after conventional resuscitation. The patients received continuous PGI2 infusion for 33-32 days.


RESULTS
O2 uptake was measured directly in the respiratory gases, pHi was determined by tonometry. Baseline O2 delivery, O2 uptake and pHi were 466 +/- 122 ml/min.m2, 158 +/- 38 ml/min.m2, and 7.29 +/- 0.09, respectively. While O2 uptake remained unchanged, infusing PGI2 increased O2 delivery (from 610 +/- 140 to 682 +/- 155 ml/min.m2, p < 0.01) and pHi (from 7.32 +/- 0.09 to 7.38 +/- 0.08, p < 0.001) beyond the values obtained by conventional resuscitation. While 9 of 11 patients with final pHi > 7.35 survived, all patients with final pHi < 7.35 died (p < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Infusing PGI2 in patients with septic shock increases pHi probably by enhancing blood flow to the splanchnic bed and thereby improves splanchnic oxygenation even when conventional resuscitation goals have been achieved.
Radermacher
P
P
Institut für Klinische Anaesthesiologie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität. Düsseldorf, Germany.
Buhl
R
R
Santak
B
B
Klein
M
M
Kniemeyer
H W
HW
Becker
H
H
Tarnow
J
J
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D011464:Epoprostenol / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration / Q000187:drug effects; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D012151:Resuscitation; D012772:Shock, Septic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D013152:Splanchnic Circulation; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D011464:Epoprostenol