Ultrasound assessment for extravascular lung water in patients with septic shock

Extravascular lung water (EVLW) refers to fluid within the lung but outside the vascular compartment. Increment of EVLW was associated with mortality in critically ill patients. Extravascular lung water index (EVLWI) >10 ml/kg was found in patients with cardiogenic pulmonary edema and correlated with pulmonary capillary wedge pressure >20 mmHg. Measurement of EVLW needs sophisticated tools and an invasive method by transpulmonary thermodilution (TPTD) technique. In contrast, multiple B-lines by lung ultrasound (LUS) have been recently proposed to correlate with increased EVLW in patients with pulmonary edema. This study aims to compare three methods of LUS and EVLWI measured by TPTD to assess pulmonary edema in patients with septic shock.