Fluid Therapy in Mechanically Ventilated Critically Ill Adult Patients.

Fluid therapy in mechanically ventilated ICU patients is characterized by high variability, with maintenance and creep fluids constituting most of the total volume, not resuscitation fluids.

• Why it matters: Understanding current fluid practices is crucial because fluid therapy carries risks in critically ill, mechanically ventilated patients, yet global patterns across dose, indication, and type remain poorly documented.
• What they did: An international prospective cohort study analyzed 2454 adult patients across 206 ICUs in 41 countries, focusing on total infused volume, daily fluid balance, and fluid types over the first 7 days after intubation.
• The result: Median daily fluid input peaked at 3.0 L on day 1 and declined over time, with maintenance and creep fluids making up 62.8% of total fluids, while resuscitation accounted for only 16%, highlighting practice variability.