Pediatric anesthesia & critical care
Use of preload responsiveness tests in pediatric intensive care units: A nationwide prospective clinical practice analysis
Authors' conclusion
In this large national prospective study, preload-responsiveness tests were routinely used before VE in PICU, especially in severe patients. However, the selected tests were often either poorly reliable or misused.
Study context
- Population
- Children ≤15 years receiving volume expansions (VE) in 34 French pediatric intensive care units (PICUs) (excl. preterm neonates, mechanical circulatory support, single-ventricle physiology)VE analysed
- Participants
- 471 children
- Outcome
- Use of preload-responsiveness tests before VE
Methodological detailsnationwide, multicentre
- Nationwide
- Multicentre
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Preload-responsiveness test performed before VE
VE
62.8%
296 events
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Factors independently associated with test use
| OR (95% CI) | P value | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Mechanical ventilation | 3.73 (1.95–7.15) | P < 0.001 | |
| Catecholamine support | 4.08 (2.00–8.31) | P < 0.001 | |
| 0.10.31310Odds ratio (log scale) |
| Outcome | Values |
|---|---|
| Misuse of dynamic indices or preload challenges | Dynamic indices or preload challenges 63.9% |
- Misuse of dynamic indices or preload challenges: 294 tests performed
Original publication
Use of preload responsiveness tests in pediatric intensive care units: A nationwide prospective clinical practice analysis. Ann Intensive Care. Published 17 April 2026. doi:10.
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