Early diuretic use and mortality in critically ill patients with vasopressor support: a propensity score-matching analysis

BACKGROUND: The effect of loop diuretic use in critically ill patients on vasopressor support or in shock is unclear. This study aimed to explore the relationship between loop diuretic use and hospital mortality in critically ill patients with vasopressor support. METHODS: Data were extracted from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care III database. Adult patients with records of vasopressor use within 48 h after intensive care unit admission were screened. Multivariable logistic regression and propensity score matching was used to investigate any association. RESULTS: Data on 7828 patients were included. The crude hospital mortality was significantly lower in patients with diuretic use (166/1469 vs. 1171/6359, p < 0.001). In the extended multivariable logistic models, the odds ratio (OR) of diuretic use was consistently significant in all six models (OR range 0.56–0.75, p < 0.05 for all). In the subgroup analysis, an interaction effect was detected between diuretic use and fluid balance (FB). In the positive FB subgroup, diuretic use was significantly associated with decreased mortality (OR 0.64, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.51–0.78) but was insignificant in the negative FB subgroup. In the other subgroups of mean arterial pressure, maximum sequential organ failure assessment score, and lactate level, the association between diuretic use and mortality remained significant and no interaction was detected. After propensity score matching, 1463 cases from each group were well matched. The mortality remained significantly lower in the diuretic use group (165/1463 vs. 231/1463, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Although residual confounding cannot be excluded, loop diuretic use is associated with lower mortality. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (10.1186/s13054-019-2309-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.