Another new retrospective cohort study that compares the effectiveness of adding fludrocortisone to hydrocortisone vs hydrocortisone alone among patients with septic shock using target trial emulation.
The study found that among 88,275 patients with septic shock receiving norepinephrine who initiated hydrocortisone treatment, the addition of fludrocortisone to hydrocortisone was associated with a 3.7% lower adjusted absolute risk difference in the primary composite outcome of mortality or discharge to hospice compared with initiation of hydrocortisone alone.
The study concludes that among patients with septic shock receiving norepinephrine who initiated hydrocortisone treatment, the addition of fludrocortisone was associated with lower rates of the composite of death or discharge to hospice compared with hydrocortisone alone.
Bosch NA, Teja B, Law AC, Pang B, Jafarzadeh SR, Walkey AJ. Comparative Effectiveness of Fludrocortisone and Hydrocortisone vs Hydrocortisone Alone Among Patients With Septic Shock. JAMA Intern Med. 2023;183(5):451โ459. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2023.0258