J Korean Med Sci.  2008 Dec;23(6):988-991. 10.3346/jkms.2008.23.6.988.

Etomidate Should be Used Carefully for Emergent Endotracheal Intubation in Patients with Septic Shock

• Kim TY
• Rhee JE
• Kim KS
• Cha WC
• Suh GJ
• Jung SK

• KMID: 1107522
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2008.23.6.988

Abstract

Etomidate and midazolam are the most popular drugs among the induction agents for emergent endotracheal intubation. The purpose of this study was to compare the incidence of adrenal insufficiency and mortality between the septic shock patients who received etomidate (ETM group) and those who received midazolam (MDZ group). Between November 2004 and September 2006, 65 patients were analyzed in this study. The hospital mortality rate was 36% in the ETM group (n=25) and 50% in the MDZ group (n=40), which was not statistically significant (p=0.269). The incidence of relative adrenal insufficiency was significantly higher in the ETM group than in the MDZ group (84% and 48%, respectively; p=0.003). On multivariate analysis, the use of etomidate was the only significant factor affecting the incidence of relative adrenal insufficiency (odds radio, 5.59; 95% confidence interval, 1.61- 19.4). In conclusion, we think that physicians who treat patients with septic shock should be aware that etomidate can cause adrenal insufficiency, and should start corticosteroids if etomidate is administered.

Keyword

Etomidate; Midazolam; Intubation; Adrenal Insufficiency; Shock, Septic

MeSH Terms

Adrenal Cortex Hormones/therapeutic use
Adrenal Insufficiency/chemically induced/complications
Aged
Anesthetics, Intravenous/*adverse effects
Etomidate/*adverse effects
Female
Humans
*Intubation, Intratracheal
Male
Midazolam/*adverse effects
Middle Aged
Retrospective Studies
Shock, Septic/complications/drug therapy/*mortality

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