Human and experimental septic shock are characterized by depletion of lipid droplets in the adrenals.

Rationale: Cholesteryl ester deficiency which results in adrenal lipid store depletion has been proposed as a potential mechanism of sepsis associated adrenal insufficiency.

Objective: We investigated histological abnormalities associated with sepsis in human and mice adrenals.

Methods: From January 2006 to 2008, seven patients who died of septic shock and seven patients with rapidly fatal nonseptic illness were included. Adrenals were sampled within 12 h from death. Adrenals were also taken from 13 lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-challenged mice, 5 cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) mice and 5 controls. We semi-quantitatively analysed intensity of inflammation, necrosis, haemorrhage and lipid depletion.

Measurements And Main Results: In patients, lipid depletion scores were significantly higher in septic shock than in controls (p = 0.011). In animals, lipid depletion was higher following LPS or CLP than in controls (p = 0.003). In adrenal cortex, in patients and not in animals, global scores for inflammation (p = 0.002), necrosis (p = 0.009) and haemorrhage (p = 0.009) were significantly higher in septic shock than in controls. Similarly, in zona fasciculata, in patients and not in animals, scores for inflammation (p = 0.007), necrosis (p = 0.023) and haemorrhage (p = 0.023) were significantly higher in septic shock than in controls.

Conclusions: This study shows that diffuse lipid depletion in zona fasciculata is a hallmark of human septic shock, experimental endotoxaemia and sepsis. In patients, sepsis was associated with inflammation, necrosis and haemorrhage predominantly in zona fasciculata.