Cumulative Fluids Balance and Ventilator Associated Events

This study is designed to test the association between cumulative fluids balance and ventilator associated events among critically ill patients.

Setting: This research will be carried out in four General Intensive Care Units at two hospitals in El Beheira Governorate, Egypt.

• For three months, from October 1, 2022 to January, 2023, all newly admitted mechanically ventilated patients who will fulfill the inclusion criteria and agree to participate will be screened on a daily basis.
• The investigators will calculate cumulative fluid balance as daily fluid balance within four days of the event of interest. Cumulative fluid balance will be computed as the sum of daily fluid balances over the previous 24 hours, calculated by total fluid input minus total fluid output on a specific day of ICU admission over the first four calendar days of mechanical ventilation. Insensible fluid loss, such as perspiration or evaporative water loss related to respiration will not be routinely assessed and will not be included in the calculation of cumulative fluid balance. The cumulative fluid balance from day 0 to day 1 will be labelled as day 1, and the following days as day 2 and day 3. Cumulative fluid balance at day 3 refers to the cumulative fluid balance during the first four calendar days.
• Variables associated with VAEs will be assessed for each patient including: age, gender, admission diagnosis, comorbidities; and ICU length of stay, APACH II score, Sofa score and duration of tracheal intubation.

Inclusion criteria

• aged ≥18 years,
• mechanically ventilated for ≥48 h and remain in the intensive care ≥4 days.

Exclusion criteria

• Patients with acute renal failure and needs dialysis,
• increasing daily minimum positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) or Fio2 during MV treatment
• hemodynamic instability