Hemodynamic and oxygen-kinetic data of 16 burn patients with sepsis were analysed to explore relationship between oxygen transport pattern and clinical outcome after dopamine and dobutamine therapy. Two patterns of oxygen transport were shown in the 16 patients. Of them, ten (62.5%) had optimal DO2 and VO2 values (model I), and six (37.5%) had lower DO2 and VO2 values than the optimal (model II). All of 6 patients with model II developed lactic acidosis, septic shock and MOF and died. Two of 10 patients in model I developed MOF, only one died. The results indicate that, in burn patient with sepsis, the decreased response of DO2 and VO2 to inotropic therapy suggests failure of tissue perfusion, oxygen extraction and utilization, and may possibly predict the outcome.