Predicting Fluid Responsiveness Using Carotid Ultrasound in Mechanically Ventilated Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Diagnostic Test Accuracy Studies.

Background: A noninvasive and accurate method of determining fluid responsiveness in ventilated patients would help to mitigate unnecessary fluid administration. Although carotid ultrasound has been previously studied for this purpose, several studies have recently been published. We performed an updated systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the accuracy of carotid ultrasound as a tool to predict fluid responsiveness in ventilated patients.