Despite large efforts trying to improve diagnostic and therapy of sepsis have been made over the last decade (e.g. initiation of the Surviving Sepsis Campaign, defining evidence based sepsis therapy bundles) the mortality of septic shock remains high and causes high socioeconomical burden of disease.

The purpose of this pilot study is to evaluate the design and conduct of a projected full scale clinical trial.

A functional clock is required for induction of several proinflammatory genes, not shown in septic patient settings, yet.

Clock genes are involved in modulating the activity of several transcription factors that are important regulators of immune functions (e.g. HIF1-α, STAT1, STAT3, and NF-κB) (Bellet MM et al., 2013).

Furthermore, polymorphisms such as rs7221412, a common polymorphism near period homolog 1 (PER1), was associated with the timing of activity rhythms and also showed a suggestive time-dependent relationship with both cerebral cortex and monocytes PER1 expression and an association with time of death (Lim ASP et al., 2012).

This explorative project is a pilot study. First data are generated for the assessment of the circadian system in patients with septic shock.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Male and female patients with age 18 years and above,
• Patient at intensive care units (8i, 9i and 1i at Charité - University Medicine Berlin , Campus Virchow- Klinikum),
• Septic shock (ACCP/SCCM (American College of Chest Physicians/Society of Critical Care Medicine) consensus definitions) AND Norepinephrine dosage of >0.3 μg/kg/min for at least 2 hours

Exclusion Criteria:

• Pregnant or lactating female patient,
• Participation in another interventional study (30 days before study inclusion and during study participation),
• Acute leucemia,
• Severe leukocytosis (>50,000/nl),
• Severe thrombocytopenia (<5,000/nl),
• Autoimmune disease with systemic medication of ≥10 mg prednisolone equivalent or previous transplantation,
• Patients receiving interferon therapy (last 14 days),
• Patients with known hypersensitivity GM-CSF or known antibodies against GM-CSF, yeast-derived products or any component of the study medication,
• Ongoing (concomitant) chemotherapy or radiotherapy for malignancy,
• Acute pulmonary embolism or acute myocardial infarction within last 72 hours,
• Cardiopulmonary resuscitation within last 7 days,
• Moribund patient (life expectancy <72 hrs.),
• Presence of a do-not-resuscitate or do-not-intubate order,
• Known human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection or chronic viral hepatitis
• Lacking willingness to save and hand out data within the study
• Accommodation in an institution due to an official or judicial order
• The informed consent of the patient or the subject's legally acceptable representative can´t be obtained in time
• Patient has a power of attorney or patient's provision, where he/she refuses participation in any clinical trial

Critically ill patients with septic shock