Mortality benefit of vasopressor and inotropic agents in septic shock: A Bayesian network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

• Published in: Journal of critical care Vol. 29; no. 5; pp. 706 - 710
• Main Authors: Oba, Yuji, MD, FCCP, Lone, Nazir A., MD, MPH
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.10.2014; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Adrenergic agonists; Arginine Vasopressin - therapeutic use; Bayes Theorem; Cardiotonic Agents - therapeutic use; Clinical trials; Critical Care; Dobutamine - therapeutic use; Dopamine - administration & dosage; Dopamine - analogs & derivatives; Epinephrine - administration & dosage; Humans; Meta-analysis; Mortality; Norepinephrine - administration & dosage; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Shock septic; Shock, Septic - drug therapy; Shock, Septic - mortality; Studies; Vasoconstrictor agents; Vasoconstrictor Agents - therapeutic use; Vasopressins - administration & dosage; Adrenergic agonists; Shock septic; Vasoconstrictor agents
• ISSN: 0883-9441; 1557-8615
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jcrc.2014.04.011

Abstract Objective The choice of vasopressor in septic shock has been a matter of debate. The purpose of this study was to systematically review overall evidence of vasopressor and inotropic agents in septic shock using a Bayesian network meta-analysis. Methods Databases, including Medline, Scopus, CINAHL, and Google Scholar were searched to identify relevant studies. Eligible studies were randomized controlled trials that reported mortality rates on the use of vasopressors and inotropes in patients with septic shock. We chose to use 28-day mortality as the outcome assessment criterion. Results Fourteen studies with a total of 2811 patients were included in the analysis. Norepinephrine (NE) and NE + low-dose vasopressin but not epinephrine (EPI) were associated with significantly reduced mortality compared with dopamine. (Odds ratio, 0.80 [95% credibility interval, 0.65-0.99], 0.69 [0.48-0.98], and 0.56 [0.26-1.18], respectively). The addition of an inotropic agent such as dobutamine or dopexamine did not reduce mortality compared with EPI or NE alone. Conclusions Our results support the use of NE with or without low-dose vasopressin as the first-line vasopressor therapy in septic shock. No concrete evidence exists to support the use of EPI over dopamine as the second-line agent or the addition of an inotropic agent.