Predicting Fluid Responsiveness in Mechanically Ventilated Critically Ill Children Using Transthoracic Echocardiography

Initial fluid resuscitation remains the first treatment step for most children experiencing circulatory failure and/or systemic hypotension. Only one-half of these patients respond to fluid administration by a significant increase in cardiac output. A positive fluid balance is a poor prognostic factor that increases mortality. There are few markers validated in children to assess volume reactivity by dynamic ultrasound parameters mainly based on heart-lung interaction. In this work, the investigators propose to investigate whether dynamic parameters validated in adults, such as the superior vena caval collapsibility and the variability of cardiac output during an end-expiratory and end-inspiratory occlusion, are also reliable indicators of volume responsiveness in sedated children under controlled-mode ventilation.