PMC

State 3 respiration of isolated rat muscle mitochondria after incubation with plasma. Isolated mitochondria were incubated with either plasma from ICU patients with severe sepsis or postoperative age-matched controls for 30 min. The respiratory rates are expressed per unit of citrate synthase (CS) activity. Red dotted lines indicate average values

State 3 respiration of permeabilized muscle fibers after incubation with plasma. Fibers were incubated with plasma from ICU patients with severe sepsis or healthy age-matched controls for 30 (circles) and 120 min (squares). The respiratory rates are expressed per wet weight of the incubated fibers. Each color represents a separate patient and its matched control, and black dotted line indicates average values