title: Effects of Safflower Yellow on the Treatment of Severe Sepsis and Septic Shock: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial.
abstract: Objective. To evaluate the clinical effect of safflower yellow on the treatment of severe sepsis and septic shock. Methods. 85 patients with severe sepsis and septic shock were randomly selected to receive either therapy according to the international guidelines for management of severe sepsis and septic shock (Surviving Sepsis Campaign 2012) (control group, n = 45) or conventional therapy plus safflower yellow (study group, n = 40). The 28-day mortality and 28-day Kaplan-Meier survival curves were compared as primary outcomes. Results. The 28-day mortality from all causes and in-hospital mortality were significantly lower in the study group (50%, 17.5%) as compared to the control group (78.58%, 54.76%) (P = 0.007, all causes, P < 0.001, in-hospital), and the 28-day Kaplan-Meier survival curve was higher in the study group than in the control group (P = 0.008, all causes, P < 0.001, in-hospital, Log Rank). 72 hours after treatment, secondary outcomes including heart rate, leukocyte counts, lactate levels, and platelet counts of patients in the study group were ameliorated significantly as compared with the control group. Conclusion. This study offers a potential new strategy employing safflower yellow to more effectively treat patients with severe sepsis and septic shock. This trial is registered with identifier ChiCTR-TRC-14005196.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Jin
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
authors.forename: Ru-Rong
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Intensive Care Unit, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
authors.forename: Jin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
authors.forename: Yun-Xia
authors.initials: YX
authors.lastname: Zuo
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, The People's Hospital of Pujiang County, Sichuan 611630, China.
authors.forename: Xue-Feng
authors.initials: XF
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, The People's Hospital of Pujiang County, Sichuan 611630, China.
authors.forename: Gong
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cheng