Hydrocortisone, vitamin C, and thiamine may not improve the outcome of patients with sepsis or septic shock: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract. Background. This study aimed to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of the efficacy of hydrocortisone, vitamin C, and thiamine (HVT) in patients with sepsis or septic shock. Methods. A literature search was performed in PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science from th...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Zhuangli Li, Xiaoli Zhang, Yongliang Wu, Chao Xie, Chengjiang Liu, Xiuyu He, Zehua Wu, Guofang Hua, Yuedong Li
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wolters Kluwer Health/LWW 2023-09-01
Series:Emergency and Critical Care Medicine
Online Access:http://journals.lww.com/10.1097/EC9.0000000000000072
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850217011712360448
author Zhuangli Li
Xiaoli Zhang
Yongliang Wu
Chao Xie
Chengjiang Liu
Xiuyu He
Zehua Wu
Guofang Hua
Yuedong Li
author_facet Zhuangli Li
Xiaoli Zhang
Yongliang Wu
Chao Xie
Chengjiang Liu
Xiuyu He
Zehua Wu
Guofang Hua
Yuedong Li
author_sort Zhuangli Li
collection DOAJ
description Abstract. Background. This study aimed to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of the efficacy of hydrocortisone, vitamin C, and thiamine (HVT) in patients with sepsis or septic shock. Methods. A literature search was performed in PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science from their inception to April 2021. Search terms included hydrocortisone, thiamine, vitamin C, sepsis, and septic shock. Only randomized controlled trials on HVT in treating sepsis and septic shock were analyzed. Risk ratio (RR) was generated using Review Manager 5.3 to evaluate binary variants, whereas mean ± standard deviation (MD) was generated to assess continuous variants. Results. A total of 7 randomized controlled trials, with 1233 patients, were included in this meta-analysis. There was no significant difference in long-term mortality (35.3% vs 33.2%; RR: 1.07; 95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 0.90–1.27; P = 0.45; I2 = 0%), intensive care unit (ICU) mortality (17.4% vs 17.5%; RR: 0.99; 95% CI: 0.75–1.30; P = 0.95; I2 = 0%), in-hospital mortality (27.4% vs 25.8%; RR: 1.06; 95% CI: 0.84–1.34; P = 0.63; I2 = 0%), and acute kidney injury morbidity (RR: 1.04; 95% CI: 0.91–1.18; P = 0.60; I2 = 0%) between HVT and control groups. For continuous variables, there was no significant effect of HVT therapy on delta Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (△SOFA) score (MD: −0.44; 95% CI: −1.00 to 0.12; P = 0.12; I2 = 49%), length of ICU stay (MD: 0.43; 95% CI: −0.27 to 1.14; P = 0.23; I2 = 0%), and length of hospital stay (MD: 0.80; 95% CI: −0.38 to 1.97; P = 0.18; I2 = 0%). Only vasopressor duration was significantly reduced in the HVT group (MD: −17.75; 95% CI: −25.56 to −9.94; P < 0.00001; I2 = 38%). Vasopressor duration refers to the time to shock reversal. Alternatively, it is the amount of time (in hours) required for patients to withdraw all vasoactive medication support. Neither HVT nor control △SOFA reached statistical significance. Conclusion. Hydrocortisone, vitamin C, and thiamine use was not associated with improved mortality, lower acute kidney injury incidence, lower △SOFA, and shorter ICU and in-hospital stays among patients with sepsis and septic shock. However, the use of vasopressors decreased significantly. Further direct head-to-head studies are needed.
format Article
id doaj-art-99fc9b5142bc4fc6b6def1731e94cd2d
institution OA Journals
issn 2097-0617
2693-860X
language English
publishDate 2023-09-01
publisher Wolters Kluwer Health/LWW
record_format Article
series Emergency and Critical Care Medicine
spelling doaj-art-99fc9b5142bc4fc6b6def1731e94cd2d2025-08-20T02:08:11ZengWolters Kluwer Health/LWWEmergency and Critical Care Medicine2097-06172693-860X2023-09-013312212910.1097/EC9.0000000000000072202309000-00006Hydrocortisone, vitamin C, and thiamine may not improve the outcome of patients with sepsis or septic shock: a systematic review and meta-analysisZhuangli Li0Xiaoli Zhang1Yongliang Wu2Chao Xie3Chengjiang Liu4Xiuyu He5Zehua Wu6Guofang Hua7Yuedong Li8a Department of Critical Care Medicine, The 901 Hospital of the Joint Logistic Support Force of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army, Clinic College, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, Chinaa Department of Critical Care Medicine, The 901 Hospital of the Joint Logistic Support Force of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army, Clinic College, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, Chinaa Department of Critical Care Medicine, The 901 Hospital of the Joint Logistic Support Force of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army, Clinic College, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, Chinaa Department of Critical Care Medicine, The 901 Hospital of the Joint Logistic Support Force of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army, Clinic College, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, Chinab Department of General Medicine, Affiliated Anqing First People’s Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Anqing, Anhui, China.a Department of Critical Care Medicine, The 901 Hospital of the Joint Logistic Support Force of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army, Clinic College, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, Chinaa Department of Critical Care Medicine, The 901 Hospital of the Joint Logistic Support Force of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army, Clinic College, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, Chinaa Department of Critical Care Medicine, The 901 Hospital of the Joint Logistic Support Force of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army, Clinic College, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, Chinaa Department of Critical Care Medicine, The 901 Hospital of the Joint Logistic Support Force of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army, Clinic College, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, ChinaAbstract. Background. This study aimed to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of the efficacy of hydrocortisone, vitamin C, and thiamine (HVT) in patients with sepsis or septic shock. Methods. A literature search was performed in PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science from their inception to April 2021. Search terms included hydrocortisone, thiamine, vitamin C, sepsis, and septic shock. Only randomized controlled trials on HVT in treating sepsis and septic shock were analyzed. Risk ratio (RR) was generated using Review Manager 5.3 to evaluate binary variants, whereas mean ± standard deviation (MD) was generated to assess continuous variants. Results. A total of 7 randomized controlled trials, with 1233 patients, were included in this meta-analysis. There was no significant difference in long-term mortality (35.3% vs 33.2%; RR: 1.07; 95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 0.90–1.27; P = 0.45; I2 = 0%), intensive care unit (ICU) mortality (17.4% vs 17.5%; RR: 0.99; 95% CI: 0.75–1.30; P = 0.95; I2 = 0%), in-hospital mortality (27.4% vs 25.8%; RR: 1.06; 95% CI: 0.84–1.34; P = 0.63; I2 = 0%), and acute kidney injury morbidity (RR: 1.04; 95% CI: 0.91–1.18; P = 0.60; I2 = 0%) between HVT and control groups. For continuous variables, there was no significant effect of HVT therapy on delta Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (△SOFA) score (MD: −0.44; 95% CI: −1.00 to 0.12; P = 0.12; I2 = 49%), length of ICU stay (MD: 0.43; 95% CI: −0.27 to 1.14; P = 0.23; I2 = 0%), and length of hospital stay (MD: 0.80; 95% CI: −0.38 to 1.97; P = 0.18; I2 = 0%). Only vasopressor duration was significantly reduced in the HVT group (MD: −17.75; 95% CI: −25.56 to −9.94; P < 0.00001; I2 = 38%). Vasopressor duration refers to the time to shock reversal. Alternatively, it is the amount of time (in hours) required for patients to withdraw all vasoactive medication support. Neither HVT nor control △SOFA reached statistical significance. Conclusion. Hydrocortisone, vitamin C, and thiamine use was not associated with improved mortality, lower acute kidney injury incidence, lower △SOFA, and shorter ICU and in-hospital stays among patients with sepsis and septic shock. However, the use of vasopressors decreased significantly. Further direct head-to-head studies are needed.http://journals.lww.com/10.1097/EC9.0000000000000072
spellingShingle Zhuangli Li
Xiaoli Zhang
Yongliang Wu
Chao Xie
Chengjiang Liu
Xiuyu He
Zehua Wu
Guofang Hua
Yuedong Li
Hydrocortisone, vitamin C, and thiamine may not improve the outcome of patients with sepsis or septic shock: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Emergency and Critical Care Medicine
title Hydrocortisone, vitamin C, and thiamine may not improve the outcome of patients with sepsis or septic shock: a systematic review and meta-analysis
title_full Hydrocortisone, vitamin C, and thiamine may not improve the outcome of patients with sepsis or septic shock: a systematic review and meta-analysis
title_fullStr Hydrocortisone, vitamin C, and thiamine may not improve the outcome of patients with sepsis or septic shock: a systematic review and meta-analysis
title_full_unstemmed Hydrocortisone, vitamin C, and thiamine may not improve the outcome of patients with sepsis or septic shock: a systematic review and meta-analysis
title_short Hydrocortisone, vitamin C, and thiamine may not improve the outcome of patients with sepsis or septic shock: a systematic review and meta-analysis
title_sort hydrocortisone vitamin c and thiamine may not improve the outcome of patients with sepsis or septic shock a systematic review and meta analysis
url http://journals.lww.com/10.1097/EC9.0000000000000072
work_keys_str_mv AT zhuanglili hydrocortisonevitamincandthiaminemaynotimprovetheoutcomeofpatientswithsepsisorsepticshockasystematicreviewandmetaanalysis
AT xiaolizhang hydrocortisonevitamincandthiaminemaynotimprovetheoutcomeofpatientswithsepsisorsepticshockasystematicreviewandmetaanalysis
AT yongliangwu hydrocortisonevitamincandthiaminemaynotimprovetheoutcomeofpatientswithsepsisorsepticshockasystematicreviewandmetaanalysis
AT chaoxie hydrocortisonevitamincandthiaminemaynotimprovetheoutcomeofpatientswithsepsisorsepticshockasystematicreviewandmetaanalysis
AT chengjiangliu hydrocortisonevitamincandthiaminemaynotimprovetheoutcomeofpatientswithsepsisorsepticshockasystematicreviewandmetaanalysis
AT xiuyuhe hydrocortisonevitamincandthiaminemaynotimprovetheoutcomeofpatientswithsepsisorsepticshockasystematicreviewandmetaanalysis
AT zehuawu hydrocortisonevitamincandthiaminemaynotimprovetheoutcomeofpatientswithsepsisorsepticshockasystematicreviewandmetaanalysis
AT guofanghua hydrocortisonevitamincandthiaminemaynotimprovetheoutcomeofpatientswithsepsisorsepticshockasystematicreviewandmetaanalysis
AT yuedongli hydrocortisonevitamincandthiaminemaynotimprovetheoutcomeofpatientswithsepsisorsepticshockasystematicreviewandmetaanalysis