Fluid Resuscitation in Septic Shock: The Prognostic Value of Echocardiography and Right Ventricular Dysfunction

Abstract

The question this study addressed. This prospective study conducted in a Cameroonian ICU enrolled 53 patients with septic shock to determine the prevalence of RVD, assessed by a TAPSE < 17 mm, and to analyze its impact on fluid resuscitation practices, fluid balance, and in-hospital mortality. What this study adds. It reveals a strikingly high prevalence of RVD (56.6%) in this cohort. Patients with RVD received larger initial fluid volumes and developed a significantly more positive cumulative fluid balance (+2761 ml vs. +1761 ml; p<0.05), without any hemodynamic benefit. Crucially, mortality in patients with RVD was catastrophic (93.3%), contrasting sharply with that of patients without RVD (52.2%). This publication is available in full in Health Research in Africa.