Fig. 5.

Survival according to mottling duration during the first 24 h and arterial lactate at inclusion. Kaplan–Meier curves represent the survival according to the duration of mottling and the arterial lactate level. Hazard ratios (HR) were calculated using a Cox model. We defined the group of patients with mottling duration < 6 h during the first 24 h of septic shock and lactate < 2 mmol/L at inclusion as the reference. HR were adjusted on randomization group, age, SAPS II, past medical history (chronic arterial hypertension, myocardial infarction,) and MAP, lactate, fluid intake, vasopressor dose at inclusion and need for mechanical ventilation at inclusion. Patients without mottling or mottling lasting for less than 6 h and with arterial lactate ≥ 2 mmol/L had a higher probability of survival than patients with mottling lasting for ≥ 6 h and arterial lactate < 2 mmol/L (p = 0.005)