EARLY INITIATION OF VASOPRESSIN REDUCES ORGAN FAILURE AND MORTALITY IN SEPTIC SHOCK

ABSTRACT Purpose : The aim of the study is to determine whether initiating vasopressin earlier in septic shock reduces organ dysfunction and in-hospital all-cause mortality. Methods : This multicenter, retrospective, cohort study evaluated patients admitted to the medical intensive care unit between October 2011 and August 2018 with septic shock who received vasopressin within 48 hours of shock onset. The primary composite outcome was the proportion of patients with a change in the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score greater than 3 from baseline to 72 hours after initiation of vasopressin and/or in-hospital all-cause mortality. Secondary outcomes included time to hemodynamic stability, acute kidney injury, and intensive care unit length of stay. Results : A total of 385 patients included in the final evaluation with a mean Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score of 31 and a mean baseline Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score of 13. Median time to initiation of vasopressin after norepinephrine was 7.3 hours. The primary composite outcome was significantly reduced in patients who had vasopressin initiated earlier in septic shock (odds ratio = 1.08, 95% confidence interval = 1.03–1.13, P < 0.001). After controlling for baseline data in a multivariable regression model the primary outcome remained statistically significant (odds ratio = 1.04, 95% confidence interval = 1.02–1.07, P = 0.001). Conclusions : Early initiation of vasopressin in septic shock may reduce the risk of in-hospital all-cause mortality and/or organ dysfunction.