The Surviving Sepsis Campaign guidelines recommend early goal-directed therapy (EGDT) for the resuscitation of patients with sepsis; however, the recent evidences quickly evolve and convey conflicting results. We performed a meta-analysis to evaluate the effect of EGDT on mortality in adults with severe sepsis and septic shock.

We searched electronic databases to identify randomized controlled trials that compared EGDT with usual care or lactate-guided therapy in adults with severe sepsis and septic shock. Predefined primary outcome was all-cause mortality at final follow-up.

We included 13 trials enrolling 5268 patients. Compared with usual care, EGDT was associated with decreased mortality (risk ratio [RR]: 0.87, 95% CI: 0.77-0.98; 4664 patients, 8 trials; Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation [GRADE] quality of evidence was moderate). Compared with lactate clearance–guided therapy, EGDT was associated with increased mortality (RR: 1.60, 95% CI: 1.24-2.06; 604 patients, 5 trials; GRADE quality of evidence was low). Patients assigned to EGDT received more intravenous fluid, red cell transfusion, vasopressor infusion, and dobutamine use within the first 6 hours than those assigned to usual care (all P values < .00001).

Adults with severe sepsis and septic shock who received EGDT had a lower mortality than those given usual care, the benefit may mainly be attributed to treatments administered within the first 6 hours. However, the underlying mechanisms by which lactate clearance–guided therapy benefits these patients are yet to be investigated.