Hemophagocytic syndrome (HS) is a rare life-threatening condition that can lead to multi organ failure and shock. Acute circulatory failure in these patients has been poorly studied. Objectives of this study were to describe characteristics of HS patients with shock, prognostic factors and impact of etoposide infusion on hemodynamic parameters. This is a monocenter, retrospective, observational cohort study in a French tertiary intensive care unit (ICU). All adult critically ill patients with HS managed in the ICU between 2007 and 2017, requiring vasopressors (norepinephrine) and etoposide infusion. Thirty-four patients were included. Two-third (n = 25) were of male gender and median age was 48 years IQR 34–62. Shock (n = 14, 41%) and acute respiratory failure (n = 8, 23.5%) were the main initial reasons for ICU admission. The most common HS trigger was underlying hematological malignancy (n = 26; 76%), followed by infectious diseases in 3 patients (9%) and auto immune diseases in 2 (6%) patients. Median SOFA score at ICU admission was 14 10–17. A majority of patients required mechanical ventilation (n = 29, 85%) and initial median lactate level was 3.7 mmol/L 2.9–6.9. Hospital mortality rate was 53% (n = 18) and was associated with SOFA score and renal replacement therapy in univariate analysis. All patients received broad spectrum antibiotics under suspicion of septic shock. In 17 patients, 21 nosocomial infections were documented, mainly from bacterial origin. Etoposide infusion was followed by decreased norepinephrine doses despite an increase in lactate level, while no degradation in mean arterial pressure, heart rate or renal function were identified. Hospital mortality remains high in critically ill HS patients with shock, but a significant improvement of hemodynamic parameters is observed following etoposide infusion, suggesting that an aggressive initial supportive care is crucial in these patients. •Hemophagocytic syndrome (HS) is a rare life-threatening condition that can lead to multi organ failure and shock.•Acute circulatory failure in these patients has been poorly studied.•Etoposide infusion was followed by decreased norepinephrine doses.•Our results suggests that an aggressive initial supportive care is crucial in these patients