Early Use of Norepinephrine in Septic Shock Resuscitation (CENSER): A Randomized Trial

Permpikul C, Tongyoo S, Viarasilpa T, Trainarongsakul T, Chakorn T, Udompanturak S. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2019 Feb 1 [Epub ahead of print]. [CrossRef] [PubMed]

The authors conducted a single-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial was conducted in Bangkok, Thailand. The study enrolled 310 adults diagnosed with sepsis with hypotension. The patients were randomly divided into two groups: early norepinephrine (n=155) and standard treatment (n=155). The primary outcome was shock control rate (defined as achievement of mean arterial blood pressure >65mmHg, with urine flow >0.5mL/kg/h for 2 consecutive hours, or decreased serum lactate >10% from baseline) by 6 hours after diagnosis. Shock control rate by 6 hours was significantly higher in early norepinephrine group (118/155 [76.1%] vs.75/155 [48.4%]; P<0.001). 28-day mortality was not different between groups: 24/155(15.5%) in the early norepinephrine group versus 34/155(21.9%) in the standard treatment group (P=0.15). The authors conclude that further studies are needed to determine if early norepinephrine is associated with better outcomes such as mortality, ICU and hospital stay, etc.