Efficacy and Safety of Esmolol in Treatment of Patients with Septic Shock

Background: Previous studies have suggested that beta 1-receptor blockers benefit septic shock patients. This study aimed to determine whether beta 1-receptor blockers benefit tissue perfusion in sepsis and to identify parameters to reduce the risk of this drug in sepsis. Methods: Consecutive septic shock patients were recruited from the Intensive Care Unit of Peking Union Medical College Hospital within 48 h of diagnosis. All patients were hemodynamically stable and satisfactorily sedated with a heart rate (HR) >= 100 beats/min. Esmolol therapy achieved the target HR of 10-15% lower than the baseline HR. Clinical and physiological data of patients were collected prospectively within 1 h prior to esmolol therapy and 2 h after achieving the targeted HR. Results: Sixty-three patients were recruited. After esmolol therapy, blood pressure was unaltered, whereas stroke volume (SV) was increased compared with before esmolol therapy (43.6 +/- 22.7 vs. 49.9 +/- 23.7 ml, t = 2.3, P = 0.047). Tissue perfusion, including lactate levels (1.4 +/- 0.8 vs. 1.1 +/- 0.6 mmol/L, t = -2.6, P = 0.015) and the central venous-to-arterial carbon dioxide difference (5.6 +/- 3.3 vs. 4.3 +/- 2.2 mmHg, t = 2.6 P = 0.016), was also significantly decreased after esmolol therapy. For patients with increased SV (n = 42), cardiac efficiency improved, and esmolol therapy had a lower risk for a decrease in cardiac output (CO). Therefore, pretreatment cardiac systolic and diastolic parameters with (n = 42)/without (n = 21) an increase in SV were compared. Mitral lateral annular plane systolic excursion (MAPSElat) in patients with increased SV was significantly higher than that in those without increased SV (1.3 +/- 0.3 vs. 1.1 +/- 0.2 cm, t = 2.4, P = 0.034). Conclusions: SV of septic shock patients is increased following esmolol therapy. Although CO is also decreased with HR, tissue perfusion is not worse. MAPSElat can be used to predict an increase in SV before esmolol use.