Guarracino F, et al. – In this study that included 55 patients treated according to Surviving Sepsis Guidelines (SSG), researchers investigated whether cardiovascular responses to SSG-defined resuscitation are predictable based on the cardiovascular state. They examined participants before and after volume expansion, and, if required, norepinephrine and dobutamine. Mean arterial pressure, cardiac index, and right atrial pressure were measured. Using standard formulae, pulse pressure and stroke volume variation, dynamic arterial elastance, arterial elastance and left ventricular end-systolic elastance, Ees/Ea, left ventricular ejection efficiency, mean systemic pressure analogue, venous return pressure gradient, and cardiac performance were also calculated. They found a highly heterogeneous cardiovascular response to SSG-based resuscitation, but the response was predictable from pre-treatment measures of cardiovascular state.