To evaluate the incidence, pattern and clinical importance of endotoxemia in septic shock,
frequent, serial endotoxin determinations were made prospectively in patients with shock.
Detectable endotoxin occurred in 43 of 100 patients with septic shock, but in only one often
patients with shock due to nonseptic causes. During septic shock, endotoxemia frequently
occurred in the absence of Gram-negative bacteremia. Using a logistic regression model,
multiple organ failure occurred 10.3 times more frequently and depression of left ventricular …