Effect of alprostadil on microcirculation after the resuscitation in patients with septic shock

Objective To evaluate the effect of alprostadil on the microcirculation and mortality after the fluid resuscitation in patients with septic shock. Methods The patients who met the criteria of septic shock admitted to our hospital from March 2015 to September 2016 were selected as the subjects. After the shock resuscitation reached the standard, they were randomly divided into control group and alprostadil group. Control group was given a standard treatment. On the basis of standard treatment, alprostadil group was given alprostadil 10μg/d plus tube. The heart rate, mean arterial pressure (MAP), central venous pressure (CVP), lactic acid (Lac) and urine volume were recorded at 0, 1, 3 and 7 days. The microcirculation index under the tongue including small vessel density (TvDs), perfused small microvessel density (PvDs), small vessel perfusion ratio (PPVs), microvascular flow index (MFI) and heterogeneity index (HI) were recorded at 0, 6, 24 and 72h. The patients' hospitalization time in ICU, total hospitalization time and mortality rate of follow-up 28 days were recorded. Results Forty-eight patients were enrolled in this study, of which 23 were in control group and 25 in alprostadil group. The heart rate and MAP had no significant changes in alprostadil group, but the CVP decreased significantly compared with control group (P<0.05) at 1, 3, 7 days after the treatment, and urine volume increased at 3 and 7 days in the alprostadil group (P<0.05); but TvDs did not increase at 6 and 24h in the two groups, while PvDs, PPVs, MFI, HI increased at 6, 24 and 72h in the two groups, with a higher value at 24 and 72h than the 6h. The 72-h indexes were significantly higher in alprostadil group than in control group (P<0.05). The mechanical ventilation (MV) was significantly lower in alprostadil group than in control group (P<0.05); ICU hospitalization time and total hospitalization time was significantly shorter in alprostadil group than in control group (P<0.05). The hospital mortality and 28-day mortality were lower in alprostadil group than in control group (P