European journal of anaesthesiology
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Multicenter Study Observational Study
Hidden sources of fluids, sodium and potassium in stabilised Swedish ICU patients: A multicentre retrospective observational study.
Fluid overload in ICU patients is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Although studies report on optimisation of resuscitation fluids given to ICU patients, increasing evidence suggests that maintenance fluids and fluids used to administer drugs are important sources of fluid overload. ⋯ Maintenance and drug fluids far exceeded resuscitative fluids in ICU patients beyond the resuscitative phase. This excess fluid intake, in conjunction with high urinary output and treatment for fluid offload in almost all patients, suggests that a large volume of the maintenance fluids given was unnecessary.