patient treated by vasopressors for septic shock at the time of inclusion clinical history suggesting of aspiration of gastric content patient treated by invasive mechanical ventilation within 14 days before current hospital admission patient treated by antibiotics for a respiratory infection for more than seven days at the admission to the hospital (except if a pathogen resistant to this antibiotics is isolated) history of cystic fibrosis post-obstructive pneumonia patients in which rapid pcr-test is positive for flu active tuberculosis or fungal infection active viral hepatitis or active infection with herpes viruses myelosuppression decision of withholding mechanical ventilation or endotracheal intubation hypersensitivity to corticosteroids patient needing anti-inflammatory corticosteroids or substitutive hydrocortisone for any reason patients under treatment by more than 15 mg/d of prednisone (or equivalent) for more than 30 days patient already enrolled in another drug trial with mortality as an end-point. if the patient is already participating in another therapeutic trial with a different endpoint, the investigator must verify that inclusion in cape cod can not prejudice it. pregnant or breastfeeding woman patient on judicial protection

patient treated by vasopressors for septic shock at the time of inclusion clinical history suggesting of aspiration of gastric content patient treated by invasive mechanical ventilation within 14 days before current hospital admission patient treated by antibiotics for a respiratory infection for more than seven days at the admission to the hospital (except if a pathogen resistant to this antibiotics is isolated) history of cystic fibrosis post-obstructive pneumonia patients in which rapid pcr-test is positive for flu active tuberculosis or fungal infection active viral hepatitis or active infection with herpes viruses myelosuppression decision of withholding mechanical ventilation or endotracheal intubation hypersensitivity to corticosteroids patient needing anti-inflammatory corticosteroids or substitutive hydrocortisone for any reason patients under treatment by more than 15 mg/d of prednisone (or equivalent) for more than 30 days patient already enrolled in another drug trial with mortality as an end-point. if the patient is already participating in another therapeutic trial with a different endpoint, the investigator must verify that inclusion in cape cod can not prejudice it. pregnant or breastfeeding woman patient on judicial protection