In a group of non-ventilated patients, who had already undergone the initial resuscitation, we demonstrated that the evaluation of the fluid responsiveness (FR) based on echocardiography and lung ultrasound increased the physician’s confidence in reducing the amount of fluids in the patient judged as non-responders, without negative effects on renal function parameters.

Among 56 FR patients, at lung ultrasound, 15 patients showed basal interstitial syndrome and 4 all-lung involvement. One fluid bolus was given to 51 patients.

Among 57 non-FR patients, 26 patients showed interstitial syndrome at lung ultrasound (basal fields in 14, all lungs in 12).

We administered diuretics to 21 patients and vasopressors to 4 subjects.

We had to change the initial treatment plan in 9% non-FR patients and in 12% FR patients (p = NS). In the first 12 h after the evaluation, non-FR patients received significantly less fluids compared to those FR.

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