To get insight in the endocrine and metabolic responses in children with
meningococcal sepsis 26 children were studied the first 48 h after
admission. On admission there was a significant difference in
cortisol/ACTH levels between nonsurvivors (n = 8) and survivors (n = 18).
Nonsurvivors showed an inadequate cortisol stress response in combination
to very high ACTH levels, whereas survivors showed a normal stress
response with significantly higher cortisol levels (0.62 vs. 0.89
micromol/L) in combination with moderately increased ACTH levels (1234 vs.
231 ng/L). Furthermore, there was a significant difference between
nonsurvivors and survivors regarding pediatric risk of mortality score (31
vs. 17), TSH (0.97 vs. 0.29 mE/L), T3 (0.53 vs. 0.38 nmol/L), reverse T3
(rT3) (0.75 vs. 1.44 nmol/L), C-reactive protein (34 vs. 78 mg/L),
nonesterified fatty acids (0.32 vs. 0.95 mmol/L), and lactate (7.3 vs. 3.2
mmol/L). In those who survived, the most importan
