Influence of septic shock on energy expenditure in critically ill ICU patients, estimated with indirect calorimetry.

Energy requirements of critically ill septic shock patients treated in the ICU are particularly difficult to determine. Recent research shows that energy expenditure (EE) in those patients may be smaller than it was previously believed. EE values in this group are affected by the severity of the disease process as well as by administered treatment (sedation, inactivity of skeletal and respiratory muscles, fighting fever). The purpose of this study was to establish the influence of septic shock on EE in sedated and mechanically ventilated patients treated in the ICU. Using indirect calorimetry, we assessed EE in those patients and compared results with basal energy expenditure calculated according to the Harris-Benedict equation (BEE), and with EE values in patients subjected to general anesthesia.