The effect of corticosteroid use in septic shock on secondary infection frequency, microorganism species, morbidity, and mortality

Aim: We aimed to examine the effect of corticosteroid treatment in vasopressor-refractory septic shock on secondary infections, microorganism species, survival, and length of hospital stay.
Material and methods: In this observational study, the records of 108 septic shock patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) were reviewed. Patients were divided into two groups: the corticosteroid group (Group S, n=60) and the non-corticosteroid group (Group S-0, n=48). The results of three cultures [blood, endotracheal aspirate (eta), urine, wound] taken after ICU admission were recorded. The groups were compared in terms of demographic characteristics, culture growth rates and microorganisms, length of hospital stay, and survival rates.
Results: The hospital (p=0.043) and ICU stay (p=0.035) were longer in Group S. There was no significant difference between the groups in terms of survival (p>0.05). The growth rate of the first urine culture was significantly higher in Group S-0 than in Group S (p=0.018), but there was no difference in terms of microorganism species (p>0.05). There was no significant difference in growth rates and microorganism species in blood, eta and wound cultures (p>0.05), but increase in growth rates were observed in the 2nd and 3rd eta and, wound cultures compared to first culture in Group S (p<0.05).
Conclusion: There was no difference between the patients who received and did not receive corticosteroid treatment in septic shock in terms of culture growth rates, growing microorganism species and mortality; however, the frequency of growth in eta and wound cultures increased and the length of hospital stay was longer in patients who received corticosteroids.