Many clinicians are wary of administering 30 cc/kg of intravenous fluid (IVF) to septic patients with reduced left-ventricular ejection fraction (rLVEF), fearing volume overload. Prior studies have used history of heart failure, rather than LVEF measured at presentation, thereby potentially distorting the relationship between rLVEF, IVF, and adverse outcomes. Our goal was to assess the relationship between IVF volume and outcomes in patients with, versus without, rLVEF.

This was a prospective observational study performed at an urban Emergency Department (ED). Included patients were adults with suspected sepsis, defined as being treated for infection plus either systolic blood pressure <90 mm/Hg or lactate >2 mmol/L. All patients had LVEF assessed by ED echocardiogram, prior to receipt of >1 l IVF.

We enrolled 73 patients, of whom 33 had rLVEF, defined as <40%. Patients with rLVEF were older, had greater initial lactate, more ICU admission, and more vasopressor use. IVF volume was similar between LVEF groups at 3-h (2.2 (IQR 0.8) vs 2.0 (IQR 2.4) liters) while patients with rLVEF were more likely to achieve 30 cc/kg (61% (CI 44–75) vs 45% (CI 31–60). In the reduced versus not-reduced LVEF groups, hospital days, ICU days, and ventilator days were similar: 8 (IQR 7) vs 6.5 (8.5) days, 7 (IQR 7) vs 5 (4) days, and 4 (IQR 8) vs. 5 (10) days, respectively.

Septic patients with rLVEF at presentation received similar volume of IVF as those without rLVEF, without an increase in adverse outcomes attributable to volume overload. While validation is needed, our results suggest that limiting IVF administration in the setting of rLVEF is not necessary.