Abstract.
Objectives: To evaluate the effect of an early dobutamine infusion on gastrointestinal perfusion in patients with severe sepsis. Design: Prospective, randomized, controlled, multicenter clinical study. Setting: Six medical and/or surgical intensive care units (ICU) of teaching hospitals. Patients: Forty-two patients with severe sepsis. Interventions: Patients were divided into two groups according to gastric-to-arterial CO2 gap (ΔCO2) [normal ΔCO2 group (n=17): ΔCO2 ≤8 mmHg; increased ΔCO2 group (n=25): ΔCO2 >8 mmHg]. Patients within each group were then randomized to receive either dobutamine (5 µg/kg per min) or saline for 72 h. Measurements and main results: SAPS II was similar in both groups [group 1: 44.0 (33.0–56.5); group 2: 48.5 (40.5–59.0), p=0.27]. At ICU admission, mean arterial pressure was lower in the high ΔCO2 group [73.0 (67.0–79.5) mmHg, p=0.03] than in the normal ΔCO2 group [84.0 (73.7–104.0) mmHg] while blood lactate [normal ΔCO2 group: 1.6 (0.8–2.3); high ΔCO2 group: 1.6 (1.1–1.9) mmol/l] was similar for the two groups. ΔCO2 was significantly lower in the normal ΔCO2 group [5.0 (2.0–6.0) mmHg)] than in the high ΔCO2 group [11.0 (10.0–19.0) mmHg]. Dobutamine infusion did not significantly change hemodynamics, blood lactate concentration or tonometric parameters in any group within the first 72 h and had no particular beneficial effect in this population. Conclusions: An early infusion of dobutamine at a fixed dose of 5 µg/kg per min during the first 72 h of severe sepsis does not influence gastric ΔCO2.
Similar content being viewed by others
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Electronic Publication
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Lebuffe, G., Levy, B., Nevière, R. et al. Dobutamine and gastric-to-arterial carbon dioxide gap in severe sepsis without shock. Intensive Care Med 28, 265–271 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00134-001-1198-x
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00134-001-1198-x