Impact of Fluid Resuscitation on Clinical Outcomes for Very Low Birth Weight infants in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Abstract

Background: Administration of fluid resuscitation (bolus) in very low birth weight (VLBW) infants is a common practice in NICU. There are no specific guidelines or indications for fluid resuscitation in VLBW infants. For older children, the FEAST Trial demonstrated increased risk of mortality with saline bolus as compared to controls in African children with severe infection, challenging the importance of fluid resuscitation in children with shock who do not have hypotension. It is plausible that empiric fluid resuscitation may be detrimental for VLBW infants as well, especially …