The benefits of corticosteroids in endotoxic shock

The experiments reported here were undertaken to study the effects of pharmacological doses of corticosteroids administered alone or in conjunction with prolonged (12-hour) assisted circulation in 22 dogs subjected to LD50-60 Escherichia coli endotoxin. The most striking findings were lengthened survival time, higher cardiac output, decreased fluid requirement, and minimal evidence of pulmonary congestion or injury in the animals treated with steroids only. Unexplained mesenteric infarction prematurely terminated the experiments in animals undergoing assisted circulation. The benefits of corticosteroids in experimentally induced endotoxic shock are clearly demonstrated in these experiments. Further studies are needed to clarify the supportive role of assisted circulation in endotoxic shock and to determine any possible advantage of hypothermia over normothermia during its course.