Influence of extravascular lung water determination in fluid and vasoactive therapy.

Introduction: Preload parameters in postresuscitation phase are not sufficiently sensitive to guide fluid therapy in critically ill patients. We analyzed modifications in the fluid therapy and vasoactive drugs of critically ill patients that were produced by inclusion of extravascular lung water (EVLW) data in the treatment protocol and evaluated the short-term response.

Methods: This observational and prospective study included consecutive patients with hypotension or hypoxemia, comparing the therapeutic plan for fluid and vasoactive drug treatment between before and after knowing the EVLW value.