Inotropic response to digoxin and dopamine in patients with severe sepsis, cardiac failure, and systemic hypoperfusion.

We studied the inotropic response to dopamine and digoxin in 20 patients with severe sepsis and left ventricular failure. Left ventricular failure was defined as a left ventricular stroke work index less than or equal to 40 g.m/m2 at a pulmonary artery wedge pressure greater than or equal to 15 mm Hg. Hemodynamic assessment was obtained before and following administration of digoxin 10 micrograms/kg IV or dopamine, 5 to 12 micrograms/kg/min IV. Patients treated with digoxin demonstrated a significant increase in LVSWI. The LVSWI increased 13 +/- 10 percent in the dopamine-treated patients compared with 74 +/- 16 percent in the digoxin patients (p less than 0.02). We conclude that digoxin exhibited significant inotropic activity in patients with sepsis.