Comparison of a preventive or curative strategy of fluid removal on the weaning of mechanical ventilation: a study protocol for a multicentre randomised open-label parallel-group trial

Introduction: Fluid overload is associated with a poor prognosis in the critically ill patients, especially at the time of weaning from mechanical ventilation as it may promote weaning failure from cardiac origin. Some data suggest that early administration of diuretics would shorten the duration of mechanical ventilation. However, this strategy may expose patients to a higher risk of haemodynamic and metabolic complications. Currently, there is no recommendation for the use of diuretics during weaning and there is an equipoise on the timing of their initiation in this context.

Methods and analysis: This study is a multicentre randomised controlled trial comparing two strategies of fluid removal during weaning in 13 French intensive care units (ICU). The preventive strategy is initiated systematically when the fluid balance or weight change is positive and the patients have criteria for clinical stability; the curative strategy is initiated only in case of weaning failure documented as of cardiac origin. Four hundred and ten patients will be randomised with a 1:1 ratio. The primary outcome is the duration of weaning from mechanical ventilation, defined as the number of days between randomisation and successful extubation (alive without reintubation nor tracheostomy within the 7 days after extubation) at day 28. Secondary outcomes include daily and cumulated fluid balance, metabolic and haemodynamic complications, ventilator-associated pneumonia, weaning complications, number of ventilator-free days, total duration of mechanical ventilation, the length of stay in ICU and mortality in ICU, in hospital and, at day 28. A subgroup analysis for the primary outcome is planned in patients with kidney injury (Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes class 2 or more) at the time of randomisation.

Ethics and dissemination: The study has been approved by the ethics committee (Comité de Protection des Personnes Paris 1) and patients will be included after informed consent. The results will be submitted for publication in peer-reviewed journals.

Trial registration number: NCT04050007.

Protocol version: V.1; 12 March 2019.