van den Berghe G, Wouters P, Weekers F, et al. Intensive insulin therapy in the critically ill patients. New England Journal of Medicine. 2001;345(19):1359-1367.

A prospective, randomized, controlled study demonstrating that intensive insulin therapy to maintain blood glucose at or below 110 mg per deciliter reduces morbidity and mortality among critically ill patients in the surgical intensive care unit.

Annane D, Sebille V, Charpentier C, et al. Effect of treatment with low doses of hydrocortisone and fludrocortisone on mortality in patients with septic shock. Journal of the American Medical Association. 2002;288(7):862–871.

A placebo-controlled, randomized, double-blind trial finding that a seven-day treatment with low doses of hydrocortisone and fludrocortisone significantly reduced the risk of death in patients with septic shock and relative adrenal insufficiency without increasing adverse events.

Gattinoni L, Brazzi L, Pelosi P, et al. A trial of goal-oriented hemodynamic therapy in critically ill patients. New England Journal of Medicine. 1995;333(16):1025–1032.

An study detailing whether hemodynamic therapy to raise the cardiac index and oxygen delivery to supranormal may improve outcomes in critically ill patients.

LeDoux D, Astiz ME, Carpati CM, Rackow EC. Effects of perfusion pressure on tissue perfusion in septic shock. Critical Care Medicine. 2000;28(8):2729–2732.

Prospective study of medical and surgical intensive care patients to measure the effects of increasing mean arterial pressure (MAP) on systemic oxygen metabolism and regional tissue perfusion in septic shock.

Ibrahim EH, Sherman G, Ward S, Fraser VJ, Kollef MH. The influence of inadequate antimicrobial treatment of bloodstream infections on patient outcomes in the ICU setting. Chest. 2000;118(1):146–155.

A prospective cohort study that concludes that the administration of inadequate antimicrobial treatment to critically ill patients with bloodstream infections is associated with a greater hospital mortality compared with adequate antimicrobial treatment of bloodstream infections.

Leibovici L, Shraga I, Drucker M, et al: The benefit of appropriate empirical antibiotic treatment in patients with bloodstream infection. Journal of Internal Medicine. 1998;244(5):379–386.

An observational, prospective cohort study to test whether empirical antibiotic treatment that matches the in vitro susceptibility of the pathogen (appropriate treatment) improves survival in patients with bloodstream infections.

Hollenberg SM, Ahrens TS, Astiz ME, et al. Practice parameters for hemodynamic support of sepsis in adult patients. Critical Care Medicine. 1999;27(3):639–660.

This article proposes guidelines for hemodynamic support of adult patients with sepsis and concludes that hemodynamic therapies should be titrated to specific and definable endpoints.

Schierhout G, Roberts I. Fluid resuscitation with colloid or crystalloid solutions in critically ill patients: A systematic review of randomised trials. British Medical Journal. 1998;316(7136):961–964.

A systematic review of randomized controlled trials of resuscitation with colloids compared with crystalloids for volume replacement of critically ill patients.