Introduction Our goal was to assess the effects of titration of a norepinephrine infusion to increasing levels of mean arterial pressure (MAP) on sublingual microcirculation.

The main characteristics of sublingual microcirculation in patients with septic shock are hypoperfusion and increased flow heterogeneity. Hyperdynamic microvascular blood flow was not found. Nonsurvivors showed more severe alterations than survivors. Quantitative and semiquantitative microcirculatory variables displayed similar behaviors.