Fig. 5

A and B, C and D Probabilities of septic shock development within 14 days (primary endpoint of HYPRESS) and 90-day survival (secondary endpoint) in the placebo and the hydrocortisone group as stratified by the ratio of cortisol–corticosterone greater or equal 32.2 and less (with 95% confidence interval for the curves). Patients in the placebo group with a cortisol–corticosterone ratio > 32.2 developed septic shock (p < 0.01) more frequently had a higher in-hospital mortality in the 90 days after randomization (p < 0.001). No differences were found in patients treated with hydrocortisone (200 mg for 5 days and a gradual dose reduction for another 6 days) stratified by the cortisol–corticosterone ratio