Postgrad Med J 2018;0:1–6
Ashuin Kammar-García, Ziv Pérez-Morales, Lilia Castillo-Martinez, José Luis Villanueva-Juárez, Fernanda Bernal-Ceballos, Héctor Isaac Rocha-González, Miguel Remolina-Schlig, Thierry Hernández-Gilsoul
Purpose of the study: The aim of this study was to investigate the association of fluid overload, measured by bioelectrical impedance vector analysis (BIVA) and also by accumulated fluid balance, with 30-day mortality rates in patients admitted to the emergency department (ED).
Design: We conducted a prospective observational study of fluid overload using BIVA, taking measures using a multiple-frequency whole-body tetrapolar equipment. Accumulated fluid balances were obtained at 24, 48 and 72 hours from ED admission and its association with 30-day mortality.
Patients: 109 patients admitted to the ED classified as fluid overloaded by both methods.
Results: According to BIVA, 71.6% (n=78) of patients had fluid overload on ED admission. These patients were older and had higher Sequential Organ Failure Assessment scores. During a median follow-up period of 30 days, 32.1% (n=25) of patients with fluid overload evaluated by BIVA died versus none with normovolaemia (p=0.001). There was no statistically significant difference in mortality between patients with and without fluid overload as assessed by accumulated fluid
balance (p=0.81).
Conclusion: Fluid overload on admission evaluated by BIVA was significantly related to mortality in patients admitted to the ED.