Podcast # 465: As easy and 1, 2, 10 - Capillary Refill and Sepsis

Author: Ryan Circh, MD

Educational Pearls:

• The 2019 ANDROMEDA-SHOCK trial compared using serum lactates to capillary refill assessment in septic shock patients to guide resuscitation
• Capillary refill time was standardized (this is not straightforward):
• • A glass microscope slide was pressed on the ventral side of the right index finger
  • Pressure was increased until the skin was blanched
  • This pressure was sustained for another 10 seconds
  • After pressure was removed, the time to return to normal skin color was timed
  • Greater than three seconds was considered abnormal.
• No difference between the two groups for mortality at 28-days

Editor's note: lactates have become so ingrained in our practice it will be tough to change habits but this is an excellent quiver for those of us that hate the over reliance on this lab value alone, despite some of the limitations of the study.

References

Hernández G, Ospina-Tascón GA, Damiani LP, et al. Effect of a Resuscitation Strategy Targeting Peripheral Perfusion Status vs Serum Lactate Levels on 28-Day Mortality Among Patients With Septic Shock: The ANDROMEDA-SHOCK Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA. 2019;321(7):654–664. doi:10.1001/jama.2019.0071

Summarized by Will Dewispelaere, MS3 | Edited by Erik Verzemnieks, MD