Association between increased arterial stiffness and clinical outcomes in patients with early sepsis: a prospective observational cohort study.

Patients with severe sepsis and septic shock admitted to intensive care have higher arterial stiffness than in the general population. No convincing association was found between pulse wave velocity at admission and the progression of multiple organ or cardiovascular failure, although the group with pulse wave velocity > 24.7 m/s had shorter survival time.