Experimental septic shock: relative effects of treatment with antibiotics, crystalloid or colloid solution infusions and corticosteroids.

This study evaluates the relative effects of 2 combined antibiotics, a crystalloid solution, 4 3% colloid solutions, and a pharmacologic dose of corticosteroids, given alone and in combination for the treatment of Escherichia coli-induced septic shock. All treatments began 5.5 h after bacterial injection. Untreated septic rats had a mean survival time of 9.9 h. Antibiotics (trimethophrim and sulfamethoxazole) alone did not significantly increase mean survival time (11.0 h). No rats in either of these two groups survived 24 h. When antibiotics and dexamethasone were combined, 40% (4/10) rats lived longer than 24 h (p less than .05). With Ringer's solution infusion, the mean survival time was 8.7 h and 30% (3/10) lived longer than 24 h. When a 3% colloid solution was given, 50% (20/40) lived more than 24 h and 20% (8/40) lived more than 7 days. There was no significant difference between the 4 colloid solutions (albumin, dextran-40, dextran-70, hydroxyethyl starch). When Ringer's solution was combined with dexamethasone and antibiotics, 80% (8/10) lived more than 24 h and 20% (2/10) were long-term survivors. When the antibiotic drug was combined with a colloid solution and dexamethasone, all animals lived more than 24 h and 90% (9/10) lived more than 7 days. This study demonstrates the therapeutic value of an effective antibiotic drug for control of the infective organism, a colloid solution infusion to maintain blood volume and circulation, and corticosteroids for still largely unknown reasons.