OBJECTIVEThe mainstay of therapy in patients with septic shock is early and aggressive intravenous fluid resuscitation. However the type of intravenous fluid that would be ideal for managing septic shock has been intensely debated. In this study, the authors observed the effects of 3% hypertonic saline solution compared with normal saline solution as early fluid resuscitation in children with septic shock.

METHODIn this prospective study, 44 septic shock children seen in the intensive care unit (ICU) of the Children's Hospital Affiliated to Capital Institute of Pediatrics were enrolled from January 2012 to January 2014, of whom 33 were male and 11 were female. Patients were randomly divided into two groups: normal saline group (NS group, 24 patients) and 3% hypertonic saline group (HS group,20 patients). There were no significant differences between the 2 groups of patients in age, gender, pediatric critical illness score (PCIS), oxygenation index (OI = PaO2/FiO2), arterial lactate, initial hemodynamic parameters, serum sodium and treatment at time of admission. Patients in NS group received normal saline guided by standard therapy. Those in HS group received 6 ml/kg 3% hypertonic saline as a single bolus over 10 min to 15 min with a maximum of 2 boluses and other standard therapy. Heart rate (HR), mean arterial blood pressure (MAP), arterial lactate, oxygenation index, urine output, serum sodium, lactate clearance rate, PCIS, fluid infusion volume, vasoactive - inotropic score, mechanical ventilation time , as well as incidence of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS), and 28 days in - hospital mortality were recorded for all patients.

RESULT(1) HR, MAP in both groups were significantly higher after infusion than those on admission. There were no significant difference in HR and MAP at 1h, 3h, 6h and 24h after infusion between NS group and HS group. (2) OI in HS group was significantly higher than that on admission at 3 hours after infusion [(321. 8 ± 50. 7) vs. (296. 5 ± 58. 2) mmHg, t = -2. 50, P = 0. 018 ]), and it was significantly higher at 24 hours after infusion in NS group (325. 7 ± 62. 6) vs. (304. 2 ± 70. 4) mmHg, t = -2.60, P=0.016]. There were no significant differences in OI at 1h, 3h, 6h and 24h after infusion between NS group and HS group. (3) At 1 hour after infusion, serum sodium in HS group was significantly higherthan that in NS group [(138.3 ± 3.8)vs. (135.0 ± 3.5) mmol/L, t=8.77, P=0.005], and then no significant difference at 3h, 6h and 24h after infusion between two groups. (4) At 6 hours and 24 hours after treatment, fluid infusion volume in HS group was markedly less than that in NS group [6 h: (39. 2 13. 9) vs. (60. 8 ± 22. 4) ml/kg, t = 14. 21, P =0. 000; 24 h: (102. 9 ± 27. 7) vs. (130. 6 ± 33. 2 ) ml/kg, t= 8. 85, P = 0. 005]. Urine output had not significant different between the two groups. (5) There were no significant differences in 24h PCIS, 24h lactate clearance rate, vasoactive - inotropic score and mechanical ventilation time between the two groups. The incidence of MODS (80. 0% in HS group, 70. 0% in NS group) and mortality rate(5. 0% in HS group, 8. 3% in NS group) were similar in both groups.

CONCLUSIONThe 3% hypertonic saline was effective as resuscitation fluid in pediatric septic shock with respect to restoration of hemodynamic stability without obvious side effects. Hypertonic saline could more rapidly improve oxygenation and need less fluid infusion volume compared with normal saline.