Respiratory Variation in Aortic Blood Flow Velocity in Hemodynamically Unstable, Ventilated Neonates: A Pilot Study of Fluid Responsiveness

Objectives: To assess whether respiratory variation in aortic blood flow peak velocity can predict preload responsiveness in mechanically ventilated and hemodynamically unstable neonates. Design: Prospective observational diagnostic accuracy study. Setting: Third-level neonatal ICU. Patients: Hemodynamically unstable neonates under mechanical ventilation. Interventions: Fluid challenge with 10 mL/kg of normal saline over 20 minutes. Measurements and Main Results: Respiratory variation in aortic blood flow peak velocity and superior vena cava flow were measured at baseline (T0), immediately upon completion of the fluid infusion (T1), and at 1 hour after fluid administration (T2). Our main outcome was preload responsiveness which was defined as an increase in superior vena cava flow of at least 10% from T0 to T1. Forty-six infants with a median (interquartile range) gestational age of 30.5 weeks (28–36 wk) were included. Twenty-nine infants (63%) were fluid responders, and 17 (37%) were nonresponders Fluid responders had a higher baseline (T0) respiratory variation in aortic blood flow peak velocity than nonresponders (9% [8.2–10.8] vs 5.5% [3.7–6.6]; p
Source: Pediatric Critical Care Medicine - Category: Pediatrics Tags: Feature Cardiac Intensive Care Source Type: research