Efficacy of Polymyxin B Hemoperfusion on Severe Sepsis Secondary to Pneumonia or Urinary Tract Infection

Toraymyxin is an extracorporeal hemoperfusion cartridge containing Polymyxin B-immobilized fiber column designed to reduce blood endotoxin levels in sepsis. Meta-analysis of randomized trials showed that polymyxin B hemoperfusion significantly reduced the mortality of severe sepsis; however, the evidence was mainly contributed by the studies of abdominal sepsis. The data about using polymyxin B hemoperfusion to treat non-abdominal sepsis remain very limited. Investigators designed a clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy of polymyxin B hemoperfusion on treating non-abdominal severe sepsis. The study hypothesis is that removal of endotoxin by polymyxin B hemoperfusion in patients with pneumonia or urinary tract infection (UTI)-related severe sepsis will attenuate sepsis associated microcirculation failure and result in early reversal of shock and less extent of end-organ damage.