title: The use of furosemide in critically ill trauma patients: A retrospective review.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Excessive fluid administration in critically ill post-traumatic patients is common and is associated with poorer outcomes. Once resuscitation is complete; however, assisted diuresis with furosemide is not an option commonly exercised. We hypothesize that diuresis with furosemide in hemodynamically stable, critically ill trauma patients is safe and effective in promoting diuresis.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this retrospective chart review, all injured patients admitted to the trauma ICU between March 2007 and June 2009 were identified. Data collection included demographic data, traumatic mechanism, physiologic data, laboratory data, medications, complications, ventilator days, ICU and hospital length of stay. Statistical analyses using two-sample t tests, Wilcoxon rank sum tests, chi-square tests, paired t-tests, and one-sample signed rank tests were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 162 screened patients, 85 were identified as eligible. Twenty-seven patients (31.8%) received furosemide within the first 14 ICU days, and there were no significant differences in age, ISS, gender, blunt mechanism, co-morbid conditions, overall complications, or mortality when compared to patients who did not receive diuresis. Furosemide administration resulted in a median of 45% increased 24 h urine output and a median of 82% less 24 h net fluid gain without any significant change in HR, MAP, CVP, Hct, creatinine, or potassium.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Administration of furosemide in stable, significantly fluid positive critically ill trauma patients results in significantly increased urine output and significantly less net fluid gain with no detrimental effect on hemodynamic parameters or laboratory values.
authors.affiliation: Massachusetts General Hospital, Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Daniel Dante
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Yeh
authors.affiliation: San Francisco General Hospital, Department of Clinical Anesthesia and Critical Care Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Julin F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.affiliation: Massachusetts General Hospital, Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Yuchiao
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chang
keywords: Diuresis; furosemide; trauma