Effect of early adjunctive vasopressin initiation for septic shock patients: a target trial emulation
Main finding · Estimated 30-day ICU mortalityResult — go to the resultRelative risk 0.95 95% CI 0.93–0.98Authors' conclusion
In this emulation of a hypothetical target trial, patients with septic shock benefited from early vasopressin administration.
Study context
- Population
- Patients with septic shock diagnosed within 6 h of intensive care unit (ICU) admission
- Participants
- 3,105 patients
- Exposure
- Early adjunctive vasopressin vs usual care
- Outcome
- ICU mortality
- Follow-up
- 30 days
Methodological detailsobservational cohort study, multicentre, parametric g-formula
- Observational cohort study
- Multicentre
- Parametric g-formula
Main finding
Estimated 30-day ICU mortality
Relative risk
0.95
95% CI 0.93–0.98
By group
Early vasopressin vs No vasopressin
RR 0.95 (95% CI 0.93–0.98)
As reported in the abstract
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Secondary outcomes
30-day ICU mortality by norepinephrine dose at vasopressin start (subgroup)
- Effect of starting vasopressin particularly strong at lower norepinephrine doses (< 0.25 µg.kg-1.min-1) and significant at doses lower than recommended by Surviving Sepsis Campaign Guidelines
Vasopressin administration over time
- Vasopressin administration in 2015
- 35.2%
- Vasopressin administration in 2021
- 45.1%
- Change per year (ß; 95%CI + 0.46 to + 2.16, p = 0.011)
- + 1.3%
Norepinephrine equivalent dose and SOFA score at vasopressin start over time
- Norepinephrine-equivalent dose (NED) change per year, µg.kg-1.min-1 (ß; 95%CI - 0.09 to - 0.002, p = 0.038)
- - 0.05
- Total SOFA score change per year, points (ß; 95%CI - 0.18 to - 0.07, p < 0.001)
- - 0.1
Original publication
Effect of early adjunctive vasopressin initiation for septic shock patients: a target trial emulation. Crit Care. Published 12 May 2025. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →