Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40699482›Full record

Trial reportDaru : journal of Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences2025

Pre-emptive hydrocortisone therapy in early septic shock: a double-blind, allocation-concealed, pilot randomized controlled trial.

Ehsan Emami, Emad Molaei, Samrand Fattah Ghazi, Marjan Sohrabi, Hossein Khalili

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in Daru : journal of Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Ehsan EmamiFaculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Emad MolaeiDepartment of Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Samrand Fattah GhaziDepartment of Anaesthesiology and Critical Care, Faculty of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Marjan SohrabiDepartment of Infectious Diseases, Imam Khomeini Hospital Complex, Faculty of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Hossein KhaliliDepartment of Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, P.O.Box: 14155/6451, Tehran, 1417614411, Iran. khalilih@tums.ac.ir.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1590-6396

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundSepsis, a major global health issue, often progresses to septic shock with high morbidity and mortality. Corticosteroids especially low-dose hydrocortisone have shown promise in septic shock management. However, the role of hydrocortisone as pre-emptive therapy in early septic shock remains unclear.

objectiveThis study investigates the effects of pre-emptive administration of low-dose, short-course hydrocortisone on outcomes in patients with early septic shock.

methodsA double-blind, randomized controlled trial was conducted, enrolling individuals with early septic shock. Patients were randomized to receive either low-dose, short-course hydrocortisone (50 mg every 6 h for 48 h) as pre-emptive therapy or usual care. The primary outcome was vasopressor requirement.

resultsPre-emptive low-dose, short-course hydrocortisone significantly reduced the duration of vasopressor therapy (P = 0.03), cumulative vasopressor dose (38.52 mg vs. 99.11 mg, P = 0.02), and the necessity for mechanical ventilation (10% vs. 40%, P = 0.02). The hydrocortisone group exhibited a lower incidence of septic shock (20% vs. 40%), although this difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.17). No significant differences were observed in mortality rates (2 deaths per group), Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) scores (P = 0.29), or ICU length of stay (P = 0.66). Serious adverse events were comparable between the two groups.

conclusionsAlthough pre-emptive hydrocortisone did not change the progression from early septic shock to septic shock, it significantly reduced both the duration of vasopressor therapy and the cumulative vasopressor dose in patients who entered the shock phase, without any significant adverse events.

Indexed as

Anti-Inflammatory AgentsHydrocortisoneShock, SepticAdultAgedDouble-Blind MethodFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedPilot ProjectsTreatment OutcomeVasoconstrictor AgentsAnti-Inflammatory AgentsHydrocortisoneVasoconstrictor AgentsHydrocortisonePre-emptiveSepsis

Identifiers

PMID40699482
PMCPMC12287476

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.