Group A (GA) will be randomized to hydrocortisone during the first 5 days, and Group B (GB) will be randomized to placebo. Following CWP determination, patients in GA will have an intravenous injection of 500 mg of hydrocortisone followed by an intravenous infusion of 500 mg of hydrocortisone in 250 ml of 5% sugar solution over eight to ten hours. This treatment will be repeated daily for the next five days. This protocol was used by Barzilai et al. which reported a significant mortality reduction with therapy.