The glucocorticoid receptor and cortisol levels in pediatric septic shock.

ABSTRACT:

Background

There is controversy around the prescription of adjunct corticosteroids in patients with fluid-refractory septic shock, and studies provide mixed results, showing benefit, no benefit, and harm. Traditional means for evaluating whether a patient receives corticosteroids relied on anecdotal experience or measurement of serum cortisol production following stimulation. We set out to measure both serum cortisol and the intracellular signaling receptor for cortisol, the glucocorticoid receptor (GCR), in this group of patients.

Methods

We enrolled pediatric patients admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit with a diagnosis of systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), sepsis, or septic shock as well as healthy controls. We measured serum cortisol concentration

SUBMITTER: Alder MN 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6162875 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature