In 12 patients with hyperdynamic septic shock we studied the effect of dopexamine, a combined dopamine and beta-adrenergic agonist, on hepatosplanchnic hemodynamics and O(2) exchange. All patients required noradrenaline to maintain mean arterial pressure > 60 mm Hg (noradrenaline >/= 0.04 microg x kg(-1) x min(-1)) with a cardiac index >/= 3.0 L/min/m(2). Splanchnic blood flow (Qspl) was measured using primed continuous infusion of indocyanine green dye with hepatic venous sampling. In addition tonometric gastric mucosal-arterial and gastric mucosal-hepatic venous P CO(2) gradients were assessed as indicators of regional energy balance. After 90 min of stable hemodynamics a first measurement was obtained. Then dopexamine infusion was titrated (1-4 microg x kg(-1) x min(-1)) to increase cardiac output by approximately 25% (20-30%). After 90 min all measurements were repeated, and dopexamine was withdrawn followed by a third measurement. Median Qspl (0.86/1.23-0. 66 versus 0.96/1.42-0.85 L/min/m (2) [median value/25th-75th percentiles], p < 0.05) increased whereas the fractional contribution of Qspl to total blood flow decreased (21/28-13 versus 19/28-12%, p < 0.05). Although both global and regional oxygen delivery (DO(2)) consistently increased, neither global or regional V O(2) nor PCO(2) gradients were significantly affected. In patients with septic shock and ongoing noradrenaline treatment dopexamine seems to have no preferential effects on hepatosplanchnic hemodynamics, O(2) exchange, or energy balance.