Objectives:~Comparison, in patients with septic shock, of efficacy and safety of the combination of moderate doses of corticosteroids and intensive insulin therapy to that of moderate doses of corticosteroids; and of efficacy and safety of hydrocortisone alone versus hydrocortisone plus fludrocortisone Methods~Study design :~This is a multicenter, prospective, randomised trial on parallel groups~Study treatments :~Experimental arm A:~A1=50 mg iv every 6 hours of hydrocortisone (hemisuccinate), 50µg through the nasogastric tube of 9 alpha fludrocortisone, for 7 days AND strict control of blood glucose levels with a target of 4,4 to 6 mmol/L using continuous iv infusion of insulin up to intensive care unit discharge.~A2=50 mg iv every 6 hours of hydrocortisone (hemisuccinate) for 7 days AND strict control of blood glucose levels with a target of 4,4 to 6 mmol/L using continuous iv infusion of insulin up to intensive care unit discharge.~Control arm B:~B1:50 mg iv every 6 hours of hydrocortisone (hemisuccinate), 50µg through the nasogastric tube of 9 alpha fludrocortisone, for 7 days.~B2:50 mg iv every 6 hours of hydrocortisone (hemisuccinate)for 7 days. Study Primary outcome : In-hospital mortality~Sample size calculation :~The expected in-hospital mortality rate in the control group is 50%. To detect an absolute reduction in in-hospital mortality rate of 12.5 %, that is 37.5% in the experimental arm versus 50% in the control arm, and considering risk alpha of 0,05 and a risk beta of 0,20, 254 patients per treatment arms are needed, for a total of 508 patients.
This study will compare, in adults with septic shock, the safety and efficacy of a combination of moderate doses of corticosteroids and intensive insulin therapy to that of moderate doses of corticosteroids. In addition, this study will compare the efficacy and safety of hydrocortisone alone versus hydrocortisone plus fludrocortisone