Pattern of brain injury in the acute setting of human septic shock.

Background: Sepsis-associated brain dysfunction has been linked to white matter lesions (leukoencephalopathy) and ischemic stroke. Our objective was to assess the prevalence of brain lesions in septic shock patients requiring magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for an acute neurologic change.

Method: Seventy-one septic shock patients were included in a prospective observational study.