 prospective, randomized, open, multicentre study was performed between 1997 and 1999 in 16 French intensive care units. Patients were enrolled within 24 hours of development of the first organ failure related to a new septic insult. They were randomized to group 1 HF, who received haemofiltration for a 96 hr period, or group 2 C who were managed conventionally. The primary end-point was the number, severity and duration of organ failures at 14 days, as evaluated by the SOFA score, on an intention-to-treat analysis. Strict guidelines were provided to perform continuous haemofiltration under the same conditions and objectives in all centres. 