Predicting fluid responsiveness in 100 critically ill children: the effect of baseline contractility.

PURPOSE: Fluid overload is a risk factor for poor outcome in intensive care; thus volume loading should be tailored towards patients who are likely to increase stroke volume. We aimed to evaluate the paediatric predictive ability (stroke volume increase of at least 15 % after fluid bolus) of novel and established volumetric and dynamic haemodynamic variables, and assess the influence of baseline contractility on response.

METHODS: We assessed 142 volume loading episodes (10 ml/kg crystalloid) in 100 critically ill ventilated children, median (interquartile) weight 10 (5.6-15) kg. Eight advanced haemodynamic variables were assessed using two commercially available devices. Systemic ventricular contractility was measured as the maximum rate of systolic arterial pressure rise.

RESULTS: Overall, predictive ability was poor, with volumetric variables performing better than dynamic (area under receiver operating characteristic curves ranged from 0.53 to 0.67). The best predictor was total end-diastolic volume index; however, this did not increase in a consistent way with volume loading, with change post volume being weakly related to baseline values (r = -0.19, p = 0.02). A multivariable model quantified the importance of contractility in stroke volume response. Children with high baseline contractility (≥75th centile) typically achieved a positive stroke volume response when end-diastolic volume values changed by 10-15 ml/m(2.6), whereas patients with low contractility (≤25th centile) typically required end-diastolic volume increases of 35-40 ml/m(2.6).

CONCLUSIONS: Current paediatric predictors of volume response perform poorly; prediction may be improved if baseline contractility is taken into account.