A study designed to broaden the application of rhAPC to
less severe patients was the ADDRESS trial [30]. Severe sepsis
patients with a low risk of death (APACHE II score < 25 or
single organ failure) were included in this trial. ADDRESS was
stopped early due to a lack of efficacy. While there was no
significant difference in 28 day mortality (18.5% in the rhAPCgroup vs. 17.0% in the placebo group, P = 0.34) and in-hospital
%mortality (20.6% vs. 20.5%, P = 0.98), serious bleeding complications
were significantly higher in the rhAPC group (3.9
vs. 2.2%, P = 0.02). Thus, SSG 2008 significantly weakened its
recommendations of the use of activated protein C. Several
contraindications exist for rhAPC [Table 2]. Most of the contraindications
concern the risk of bleeding. This bleeding risk
approached clinical significance in the PROWESS trial and
was realized in the ADDRESS trial. Registry studies indicate
that the risk of bleeding may actually be higher than reported
in the clinical trials. Therefore, while rhAPC is the first pharmacological
treatment for sepsis, its indications are limited to
a relatively narrow patient population. The SSC recommendations
are for rhAPC therapy in patients with high risk of death
with severe sepsis and no contraindications related to bleeding
risk (Grade 2B recommendation; 2C if within 30 days postoperative).
SSC does not recommend rhAPC for adult patients
with severe sepsis and low risk of death (Grade 1A recommendation).
In summary, rhAPC is an expensive therapy that is
indicated in extremely septic patients and carries a high risk of
.bleeding complications especially in post-surgical patients