Comparative effectiveness and safety of bolus vs. continuous infusion of loop diuretics: Results from the MIMIC-III Database

It is unclear whether fluid management goals are best achieved by bolus injection or continuous infusion of loop diuretics. In this study, we compared the effectiveness and safety of a continuous infusion with that of a bolus injection when an increased loop diuretic dosage is required in intensive care unit (ICU) patients.We obtained data from the MIMIC-III database for patients who were first-time ICU admissions and required an increased diuretic dosage. Patients were excluded if they had an estimated glomerular filtration rate15 ml/min/1.73 mThe final dataset included 807 patients (continuous group, n=409; bolus group, n=398). After propensity score matching, there were 253 patients in the bolus group and 231 in the continuous group. The 24h urine output per 40 mg of furosemide was significantly greater in the continuous group than in the bolus group (234.66 ml [95% CI 152.13-317.18, p0.01]). There was no significant between-group difference in the incidence of acute kidney injury (odds ratio 0.96, 95% CI 0.66-1.41, p=0.85).Our results indicate that a continuous infusion of loop diuretics may be more effective than a bolus injection and does not increase the risk of acute kidney injury in patients who need an increased diuretic dosage in the ICU.