Table 2 Characteristics of 1,955 patients who received fluid resuscitation and indications for the 4,488 episodes of fluid resuscitation

Age, yrs (mean, SD)

60.8 (17.4)

Sex (% male, N)

64.3 (1,256)

Admission characteristics

No of days in ICU at survey date (median, IQR)

3 (0, 10)

Hospital admission for trauma (%, N)

12.0 (234)

Sepsis in 24 hrs prior to survey date (%, N)

33.1 (642)

APACHE II in 24 hrs prior to survey date (mean, SD)

16.3 (8.5)

Died in ICU/hospital at ≤ 28 days (%, N)

16.1 (304)

Admission source

% Operating room after elective surgery

25.1 (489)

% Hospital floor

22.2 (432)

% Transfer from other ICU or hospital

11.8 (230)

% Operating room after emergency surgery

14.5 (283)

% Emergency room

17.0 (331)

% Hospital floor after previous ICU stay

9.4 (184)

Indication for fluid in each fluid resuscitation episode

N = 4,488

% Impaired perfusion/low cardiac output (n)

39.2 (1,743)

% Abnormal vital signs

28.5 (1,266)

% Anaemia/bleeding/coagulopathy

18.5 (822)

% Unit protocol

6.6 (294)

% Other fluid losses

2.9 (131)

% Other

4.3 (191)