Septic shock is a frequent pathology responsible for over 30000 deaths/year in France. Its outcome has not been improved despite the knowledge on inflammatory processes; a reason for these lack of results may lay on the lack of data on the precise dynamics of inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cascades and their consequences. We intend to achieve accurate monitoring of the inflammatory process on a small group of non-immunocompromised patients. Our goal is to obtain quality data, repeated over time, by limiting the technical variability.

The aim is to obtain precise data on the dynamics of cytokines, oxydative stress and hormonal response on immunocompetent adults during septic shock.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patient over 18 years admitted in ICU.
• Clinical evidence of infection, suspected or proved, during the 48hrs following the hospital entry.
• Systemic inflammatory response syndrome.
• Shock defined as arterial hypotension (<90mmHg)not responding to adequated filling.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Minors
• Patient under guardianship or trusteeship
• Pregnant or lactating women
• Not affiliated to the social security
• Deprived of liberty by court decision
• Patients hospitalised without their approval
• Shock related to another cause than infection
• Long term corticothérapy
• On-going chemiothérapy, AIDS
• Bedridden patient

All immunocompetent patients hospitalised in intensive care from the beginning of the septic shock state.