Table 1.
Features routinely used by specialists to determine fluid status of critically ill patients.
| UK (n = 124) N (% of UK respondents answering) | ANZ (n = 87) N (% of ANZ respondents answering) | Overall (n = 211) N (% of all respondents answering) | P comparison ANZ vs. UKa | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clinical examination findings: | ||||
| Very often/often | 123 (99.2) | 84 (x16.9) | 207 (98.1) | 0.31 |
| Sometimes/infrequently/rarely | 1 (0.8) | 3 (3.4) | 4 (1.9) | |
| ICU bedside measures of fluid status: | ||||
| Very often/often | 117 (94.4) | 81 (93.1) | 198 (93.8) | 0.78 |
| Sometimes/infrequently/rarely | 7 (5.6) | 6 (4) | 13 (6.2) | |
| Transthoracic echo appearances: | ||||
| Very often/often | 27 (21.7) | 20 (23) | 47 (22.3) | 1.00 |
| Sometimes/infrequently/rarely | 95 (76.6) | 67 (77) | 162 (76.8) | |
| Lung ultrasound findings: | ||||
| Very often/often | 13 (10.5) | 3 (3.4) | 16 (7.6) | 0.07 |
| Sometimes/infrequently/rarely | 109 (87.9) | 83 (95.4) | 192 (91) | |
| Results from cardiac output monitoring devices: | ||||
| Very often/often | 49 (39.5) | 12 (13.8) | 61 (28.9) | 0.0001b |
| Sometimes/infrequently/rarely | 75 (60.5) | 75 (86.2) | 150 (71.1) | |
| Radiological appearances: | ||||
| Very often/often | 81 (65.3) | 65 (74.7) | 146 (69.2) | 0.17 |
| Sometimes/infrequently/rarely | 43 (34.7) | 22 (25.3) | 65 (30.8) | |
| Patient oxygen requirements: | ||||
| Very often/often | 92 (74.2) | 60 (69) | 152 (72) | 0.53 |
| Sometimes/infrequently/rarely | 32 (25.8) | 26 (29.9) | 58 (27.5) | |
| Other measures of hydrations status | ||||
| Very often/often | 4 (3.2) | 0 (0) | 4 (1.9) | 0.14 |
| Sometimes/infrequently/rarely | 118 (95.2) | 86 (98.9) | 204 (96.7) | |
UK: United Kingdom; ANZ: Australia and New Zealand; ICU: intensive care unit.
a
Fischer’s exact test (very often and often vs. sometimes, infrequently and rarely).
b
Statistically significant difference.