Fluid Management in Critically Ill Children: Single-Center Retrospective Comparison of Trauma and Postoperative Patients, 2020–2022

Abstract

Objective: Injury and surgery both represent well-defined starting points of a predictable inflammatory response, but the consequent response to IV fluids has not been studied. We aimed to review and compare our single-center fluid management strategies in these two populations. Design: Retrospective cohort study from January 2020 to July 2022. The primary outcome was total IV fluid volume administered. Net fluid balances and select clinical outcomes were also evaluated. Setting: Single tertiary academic center and level 1 pediatric trauma center in New York. Patients: A dataset of critically ill trauma and surgical patients aged 0–18 years who were admitted to the PICU, 2020–2022. Trauma patients had at least moderate traumatic injuries (Injury Severity Score ≥ 9) and surgical patients had at least a 1-hour operation time. Interventions: None. Measurements and Main Results: We identified 25 trauma and 115 surgical patients. During the first 5 days of hospitalization, we did not identify an association between grouping and total IV fluids administered and fluid balance in the prehospital, emergency department, and operating room (p = 0.90 and p = 0.79), even when adjusted for weight (p = 0.96). Time trend graphs of net fluid balance and IV fluid administered illustrated analogous fluid requirement and response with the transition from net positive to net negative fluid balance between 48 and 72 hours. There was an association between total IV fluid and ventilator requirement (p = 0.003). Conclusions: Critically ill pediatric trauma and postoperative patients seem to have similar fluid management and balance after injury or surgery. In our opinion, these two critically ill populations could be combined in large prospective studies on optimal fluid therapy in critically ill children.