Cytokine Response in Septic Shock

This study is designed to examine the early sequential cytokine responses during antibiotic therapy and resuscitation of septic shock in relation to clinical manifestations of disease. The specific objective is to obtain sequential serum samples from patients with septic shock, examine a broad range of cytokine responses (TNF, IL-1, IL-6, MIF, LIF, HMGB1, etc) in a rigorous manner and correlate these responses to administration of antibiotics, resuscitative efforts and physiologic responses to illness (temp, HR, blood pressure, WBC, etc).