Introduction: severe sepsis and drotrecogin alfa (activated)

Despite continuing advances in intensive care medicine, severe sepsis and septic shock are currently among the most common causes of morbidity and mortality in intensive care. Moreover, the incidence of severe sepsis and septic shock has increased with ageing of the population over the past decade [1-3]. The Surviving Sepsis Campaign advocates early identification and intervention worldwide to improve overall management of sepsis and to reduce sepsis-related death [4,5].