Epidemiology of secondary fluid bolus therapy for infection-associated hypotension.

Objective: Fluid bolus therapy (FBT) is a common therapy for hypotensive sepsis, but no studies have compared primary FBT (in the first 6 hours after presentation to the emergency department [ED]) with secondary FBT (6-24 hours after presentation to the ED). We aimed to describe the patterns of use, physiological sequelae and outcomes of patients with hypotensive sepsis who were treated with primary FBT or combined primary and secondary FBT (secondary FBT).

Design, Setting And Patients: A retrospective observational study of patients with hypotensive sepsis presenting to the ED of a tertiary hospital from 1 January to 31 December 2010.

Primary fluid bolus therapy for infection-associated hypotension in the emergency department.

Objectives: The physiological changes associated with fluid bolus therapy (FBT) for patients with infection-associated hypotension in the emergency department (ED) are poorly understood. We describe the physiological outcomes of FBT in the first 6 hours (primary FBT) for patients presenting to the ED with infection-associated hypotension.

Methods: We studied 101 consecutive ED patients with infection and a systolic blood pressure (SBP)<100 mmHg who underwent FBT in the first 6 hours.