Patients with sepsis who take drotrecogin alfa (activated) (DrotAA) have a significantly reduced rate of cardiac events.

Researchers from Akron General Medical Center, in Ohio, the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, in New Jersey; Cochin Hospital University, in France; the Service des Urgences et des Soins Intensifs, in Belgium; the University of Miami, in Florida; George Washington University, in Washington, DC; the Centre Hospitalier Victor Dupo, in France; Sabadell Hospital, in Spain; and Eli Lilly and Company, in Indiana, evaluated serious adverse events (SAEs) from 4,459 patients with sepsis included in INDEPTH, a database of five clinical trials.

They reviewed data of 3,228 patients treated with DrotAA and 1,231 patients treated with placebo. Patients taking DrotAA had a higher survival rate and lower rates of heart attacks and arrhythmia during infusion period and at 28 days. Both groups had similar SAE rates overall.

CHEST 2005 abstract highlights

Jennifer Stawarz
jstawarzchestnet
American College of Chest Physicians
chestnet