Assessment of fluid responsiveness in spontaneously breathing patients: a systematic review of literature.

Patients who increase stoke volume or cardiac index more than 10 or 15% after a fluid challenge are usually considered fluid responders. Assessment of fluid responsiveness prior to volume expansion is critical to avoid fluid overload, which has been associated with poor outcomes. Maneuvers to assess fluid responsiveness are well established in mechanically ventilated patients; however, few studies evaluated maneuvers to predict fluid responsiveness in spontaneously breathing patients. Our objective was to perform a systematic review of literature addressing the available methods to assess fluid responsiveness in spontaneously breathing patients. Studies were identified through electronic literature search of PubMed from 01/08/2009 to 01/08/2016 by two independent authors. No restrictions on language were adopted. Quality of included studies was evaluated with Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies tool. Our search strategy identified 537 studies, and 9 studies were added through manual search. Of those, 15 studies (12 intensive care unit patients; 1 emergency department patients; 1 intensive care unit and emergency department patients; 1 operating room) were included in this analysis. In total, 649 spontaneously breathing patients were assessed for fluid responsiveness. Of those, 340 (52%) were deemed fluid responsive. Pulse pressure variation during the Valsalva maneuver (∆PPV) of 52% (AUC ± SD: 0.98 ± 0.03) and passive leg raising-induced change in stroke volume (∆SV-PLR) > 13% (AUC ± SD: 0.96 ± 0.03) showed the highest accuracy to predict fluid responsiveness in spontaneously breathing patients. Our systematic review indicates that regardless of the limitations of each maneuver, fluid responsiveness can be assessed in spontaneously breathing patients. Further well-designed studies, with adequate simple size and power, are necessary to confirm the real accuracy of the different methods used to assess fluid responsiveness in this population of patients.

Defining and treating acute kidney injury patients in Brazilian intensive care units: Results from a cross-sectional nationwide survey.

PURPOSE: The purpose of the study is to characterize the practices of Brazilian intensivists toward acute kidney injury (AKI) definition and management. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 36 Brazilian hospitals. RESULTS: Of 731 ICU physicians invited to participate, 310 (42%) responded to the survey. Nearly half of the intensive care unit (ICU) physicians (146/310) do not apply AKIN and/or RIFLE definitions to their ICU patients. Most of the respondents prescribe intravenous fluids as a first-line therapeutic intervention for AKI patients. Although 38% of the surveyed physicians considered worsening of respiratory parameters to be the main criterion for stopping fluid infusion, only 15% considered daily net fluid balance as a criterion. Most of the respondents believed in the benefits of early renal replacement therapy (RRT) and considered worsening acidosis the most important criteria for starting early RRT. The main reason for a nephrologist referral was an urgently needed RRT. CONCLUSIONS: Despite recent advances in AKI definition and management, most of the surveyed ICU physicians in Brazil have not incorporated them in their clinical practice. Important differences in the management of AKI patients were observed among Brazilian ICU physicians, which is relevant for educational interventions and future research.

Current concepts on hemodynamic support and therapy in septic shock.

Severe sepsis and septic shock represent a major healthcare challenge. Much of the improvement in mortality associated with septic shock is related to early recognition combined with timely fluid resuscitation and adequate antibiotics administration. The main goals of septic shock resuscitation include intravascular replenishment, maintenance of adequate perfusion pressure and oxygen delivery to tissues. To achieve those goals, fluid responsiveness evaluation and complementary interventions - i.e. vasopressors, inotropes and blood transfusion - may be necessary. This article is a literature review of the available evidence on the initial hemodynamic support of the septic shock patients presenting to the emergency room or to the intensive care unit and the main interventions available to reach those targets, focusing on fluid and vasopressor therapy, blood transfusion and inotrope administration.

[Current concepts on hemodynamic support and therapy in septic shock]. / Conceitos atuais sobre suporte hemodinâmico e terapia em choque séptico.

Severe sepsis and septic shock represent a major healthcare challenge. Much of the improvement in mortality associated with septic shock is related to early recognition combined with timely fluid resuscitation and adequate antibiotics administration. The main goals of septic shock resuscitation include intravascular replenishment, maintenance of adequate perfusion pressure and oxygen delivery to tissues. To achieve those goals, fluid responsiveness evaluation and complementary interventions - i.e. vasopressors, inotropes and blood transfusion - may be necessary. This article is a literature review of the available evidence on the initial hemodynamic support of the septic shock patients presenting to the emergency room or to the intensive care unit and the main interventions available to reach those targets, focusing on fluid and vasopressor therapy, blood transfusion and inotrope administration.

Fluid therapy for septic shock resuscitation: which fluid should be used?

Early resuscitation of septic shock patients reduces the sepsis-related morbidity and mortality. The main goals of septic shock resuscitation include volemic expansion, maintenance of adequate tissue perfusion and oxygen delivery, guided by central venous pressure, mean arterial pressure, mixed or central venous oxygen saturation and arterial lactate levels. An aggressive fluid resuscitation, possibly in association with vasopressors, inotropes and red blood cell concentrate transfusion may be necessary to achieve those hemodynamic goals. Nonetheless, even though fluid administration is one of the most common interventions offered to critically ill patients, the most appropriate type of fluid to be used remains controversial. According to recently published clinical trials, crystalloid solutions seem to be the most appropriate type of fluids for initial resuscitation of septic shock patients. Balanced crystalloids have theoretical advantages over the classic solutions, but there is not enough evidence to indicate it as first-line treatment. Additionally, when large amounts of fluids are necessary to restore the hemodynamic stability, albumin solutions may be a safe and effective alternative. Hydroxyethyl starches solutions must be avoided in septic patients due to the increased risk of acute renal failure, increased need for renal replacement therapy and increased mortality. Our objective was to present a narrative review of the literature regarding the major types of fluids and their main drawbacks in the initial resuscitation of the septic shock patients.

Fluid resuscitation with hydroxyethyl starches in patients with sepsis is associated with an increased incidence of acute kidney injury and use of renal replacement therapy: a systematic review and meta-analysis of the literature.

PURPOSE: Fluid resuscitation is a key intervention in sepsis, but the type of fluids used varies widely. The aim of this meta-analysis is to determine whether resuscitation with hydroxyethyl starches (HES) compared with crystalloids affects outcomes in patients with sepsis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials up to February 2013. Studies that compared resuscitation with HES versus crystalloids in septic patients, and reported incidence of acute kidney injury (AKI), renal replacement therapy (RRT), transfusion of red blood cell (RBC) or fresh frozen plasma and/or mortality. Three investigators independently extracted data into uniform risk ratio measures. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation framework was used to determine the quality of the evidence. RESULTS: Ten trials (4624 patients) were included. An increased incidence of AKI (risk ratio [RR], 1.24 [95% Confidence Interval {CI}, 1.13-1.36], and need of RRT (RR, 1.36 [95% CI, 1.17-1.57]) was found in patients who received resuscitation with HES. Resuscitation with HES was also associated with increased transfusion of RBC (RR, 1.14 [95% CI, 1.01-1.93]), but not fresh frozen plasma (RR, 1.47 [95% CI, 0.97-2.24]). Furthermore, while intensive care unit mortality (RR, 0.74 [95% CI, 0.43-1.26]), and 28-day mortality (RR, 1.11 [95% CI, 0.96-1.28]) was not different, resuscitation with HES was associated with higher 90-day mortality (RR, 1.14 [95% CI, 1.04-1.26]). CONCLUSIONS: Fluid resuscitation practice with HES as in the meta-analyzed studies is associated with increased an increase in AKI incidence, need of RRT, RBC transfusion, and 90-day mortality in patients with sepsis. Therefore, we favor the use of crystalloids over HES for resuscitation in patients with sepsis.

Myocardial dysfunction in sepsis: a large, unsolved puzzle.

Sepsis has high incidence and mortality rates around the world. The role of cardiac depression in myocardial dysfunction during sepsis remains to be elucidated. This review attempts to summarize our understanding of the anatomical, histopathological, and pathophysiological mechanisms behind cardiac dysfunction. Biomarkers to detect cardiac depression have been used to recognize developing problems, but the actual impact of these tools remains unclear.