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The First Wiggers Bernard Conference on Shock, Sepsis, and Organ Failure was envisaged as a meeting of American and European Scientists. It was named after two researchers, one from the'Old'and one from the'New World', who are wellknown for their outstanding achievements in shock research and experimental medicine. This meeting was a point of de­ parture for a series of workshops that will focus on two to three main topics dealt with in detail by experts in their respective fields. The First Wiggers Bernard Conference addressed three main questions: 1. Multi-organ-failure - is it a sequence of organ failures or a systemic disease? 2. Cellular events in trauma and sepsis - are they due to suppression, activation or both? 3. Mediators of organ failure - are LPS or sepsis necessary? Although many answers were given in this first session, numerous issues remain to be clarified due to the enormous complexity of the subject. How­ ever, the stage was set for encounters between clinicians and basic medical researchers, since theoretical knowledge will be useful to the clinician ex­ ploring new approaches to diagnosis, prophylaxis, and therapy. The conference could not have been organized without the generous sup­ port of the Immuno Company, Vienna, Austria. May we express our special thanks to Dr. Eibl, managing director and head of the research division of Immuno AG, not only for granting financial support but also for his valuable advice, encouragement, and scientific expertise.

This book is the result of the 3rd Wiggers Bernard Conference. The Wiggers Bernard Conferences, named after two great physiologists of the past, are biannual gatherings of the leaders in the field of shock. The meetings focus on specific areas of interest, where a lot of new informations is available, but needs to be focused. There are informal presentations during which the seminarian can be intenupted in order to clarify a pat1icular point; formal discussions follow each presentation; these are followed by infOlmal gatherings in which these discussion continue in a very relaxed environment. The 1992 meeting took place in Obermayerhofen, a small but charming castle in the soft green hills of Eastern Styria in the South-Eastern part of Austria. The castle was built in 1130, restored and turned into a hotel in 1977. The renaissance court yard and the generous and exclusive decors make it one of the most beautiful castles in Austria. The frank beauty and hospitality of this area acted as a catalyst to crystalize the thoughts of this interdisciplinary group of scientists as they discussed new findings in the cytokine area.

Sepsis: New Insights, New Therapies brings together contributions from an international group of experts in diverse fields to consider how the various pathways implicated in early and late sepsis interact, with a particular emphasis on novel concepts and potential new therapeutic approaches. Topics covered include adaptive immunity, inflammation, neuroendocrinology, bioenergetics and metabolism. Several chapters in the latter half of the book are particularly concerned with treatment strategies involving modulation of the neuroendocrine response. Addresses the frequent, but under-recognised condition of sepsis and discusses new ways to prevent and treat it Describes numerous pharmacological approaches to therapy for early and late sepsis Includes detailed discussion of the various physiological systems implicated in sepsis Presents an international perspective, featuring contributions from experts from laboratories worldwide involved in the study of sepsis Sepsis: New Insights, New Therapies is an invaluable resource for all critical care physicians and researchers. It is also informative reading for immunologists, endocrinologists, neuroendocrinologists, physiologists, and pharmacologists.