Adjunctive Sedation With Dexmedetomidine for the Prevention of Severe Inflammation and Septic Encephalopathy

Dexmedetomidine infusion will be commenced in accordance with the hospital's local sedation protocol, without a loading dose, at a rate of 0.1 - 1.4 mcg/kg/hour to maintain sedation as per Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale (RASS) sedation range specified by the treating clinician. Infusion will be continued until sedation is no longer clinically indicated up to a maximum of 7 days after enrolment.

Propofol and/or Midazolam will be used according to Hospital guidelines to maintain sedation as per Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale (RASS) sedation range specified by the treating clinician.

In all participants, we will collect blood samples for measurement of neuronal and systemic biomarkers of inflammation at randomization (baseline), at day 1, day 2 and day 3 after randomization.