Objective To investigate the effect of target-and-endpoint protocol on the resuscitation of septic patients.Methods This is a retrospective study performed at the Peking Union Medical College Hospital Intensive Care Unit. We enrolled 545 septic patients who needed vasopressors on at least the first day of ICU admission. The general characteristics, blood lactate level, mean arterial pressure (MAP), central venous pressure (CVP) and saturation of central venous oxygen (ScvO₂) at admission and 6, 24 hours after admission were collected. The parameters at different time points were compared. Lactate clearance rate and in-hospital mortality were analyzed.Results The 6-hour lactate clearance rate was 21.6% (IQR, 8.6%-39.0%), and in-hospital mortality was 9.4%. For patients with low CVP values (<8 mm Hg, 1 mm Hg=0.133 kPa) at admission, CVP increased significantly at 6 hours after admission (5.4±1.6 mm Hg vs. 7.7±2.6 mm Hg, P<0.001). For patients with low MAP (<75 mm Hg) at admission, the MAP values increased significantly at 6 hours (64.2±7.1 mm Hg vs. 82.2±13.1 mm Hg, P<0.001). For patients with low ScvO₂ value (<70%) at admission, the ScvO₂ value increased significantly at 6 hours (61.9%±7.0% vs. 71.9%±7.8%, P<0.001). No difference was found between the values at 6 hours and the corresponding values at 24 hours after admission. For patients with high CVP values (≥8 mm Hg) at admission, CVP decreased significantly at 6 hours (11.3±4.0 mm Hg vs. 10.3±2.9 mm Hg, P<0.001). For patients with high MAP (≥75 mm Hg) at admission, the MAP values decreased significantly at 6 hours (94.2±13.9 mm Hg vs. 89.4±11.4 mm Hg, P<0.001). For patients with high ScvO₂ value (≥70%) at admission, the ScvO₂ values decreased significantly at 6 hours (76.8%±4.2% vs. 72.9%±7.3%, P<0.001). No difference was found between the values at 6 hours and the corresponding values at 24 hours.Conclusions This study suggested that in the resuscitation of sepsis and septic shock patients in the ICU, the target values did not need to be within the “normal range” recommended by early-goal directed therapy. The “target-and-endpoint” protocol, which aimed for personalized goals, deserves more consideration.

Key words: sepsis, septic shock, lactate, central venous pressure