Hernández G, et al. - In this randomized clinical trial of 424 patients with early septic shock, researchers assessed mortality relative to a resuscitation strategy focusing on normalization of capillary refill time vs a strategy focusing on serum lactate levels. Out of the overall study population (mean age, 63 years; 226 [53%] women), the trial was completed by 416 (98%) patients. The intervention period ran for 8 hours, during which 212 patients randomly received a step-by-step resuscitation protocol aimed at normalizing capillary refill time and 212 were randomized to protocol aimed at normalizing or decreasing lactate levels at rates more than 20% per 2 hours. They found that the peripheral perfusion–targeted resuscitation group and the lactate level–targeted resuscitation group had 28-day mortality of 34.9% and 43.4%, respectively, which was not a statistically significant difference. Overall, no attenuation in all-cause 28-day mortality was seen with a resuscitation strategy targeting normalization of capillary refill time vs a strategy targeting serum lactate levels in this patient populace.