Tipping the balance: early post-resuscitation fluid accumulation and outcome after cardiac arrest

In a cohort of 109 adults resuscitated from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest and admitted to a tertiary intensive care unit (ICU), non-survivors showed higher mean fluid intake, reduced urine output, and greater cumulative positive fluid balance during the first 96 h after resuscitation. Daily increases in mean fluid balance were independently associated with ICU mortality after adjustment for confounding factors. These observations suggest that sustained positive fluid balance is linked to adverse outcomes, underscoring the potential value of more individualized or restrictive fluid management following cardiac arrest.