Gelatin in ICU and Sepsis

Inclusion Criteria: * Male or female patients ≥ 18 years of age * Women of child bearing potential must test negative on standard pregnancy test (urine or serum) * Patients with body weight ≤ 140 kg * Patients diagnosed severe sepsis / septic shock at admission on Intensive Care Unit who can be enrolled within 90 min after admission OR patients diagnosed severe sepsis / septic shock during Intensive Care Unit stay who can be enrolled within 90 min after diagnosis * Patients where antibiotic therapy has already been started (prior to randomization) * Patient who are fluid responsive. Fluid responsiveness is defined as increase of \> 10% in mean arterial pressure (MAP) after passive leg raising (PLR) * Signed informed consent by patient, legal representative or authorized person or deferred consent Exclusion Criteria: * Administration of HES, dextrane solutions or \> 500 ml of Gelatin solutions within the 24 h prior to randomization * Death expected within the next 48 h (moribund patients as defined by ASA ≥ class V) * Patients for whom the need of pressure infusions are expected * Patients with confirmed acute SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) infection (as available from routine medical records/ patient chart) * Requirement for renal support (either continuous or discontinuous techniques, including intermittent haemodialysis, haemofiltration and haemodiafiltration) * Patients receiving therapeutic heparin medication due to chronic coagulation disease / anticoagulation medication (i.e.…