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Table 2 Definition of outcome measures

From: 0.9% Sodium chloride solution versus Plasma-Lyte 148 versus compound sodium lacTate solution in children admitted to PICU—a randomized controlled trial (SPLYT-P): study protocol for an intravenous fluid therapy trial

Outcome

Criterion

Definition

Primary

 Hyperchloremia

Increase in serum chloride ≥ 5 mmol/L

- Difference from baseline level to the highest chloride level measured within 48 h post-randomization

- Baseline level: measured on blood gas at randomization or using the closest lab or blood gas value up to a maximum of 12 h before randomization

- Highest chloride level: obtained in the first 48 h post-randomization

- Patients will be assumed to have no hyperchloremia if chloride has not been measured in the first 48 h post-randomization

Secondary (clinical)

 Organ dysfunction free survival

Survival free of organ dysfunction

- Organ dysfunction defined by Paediatric Logistic Organ Dysfunction 2 Score – PELOD-2) [19]

- A PELOD-2 score of > 0 indicates organ dysfunction

- Censored at 28 days post-randomization

- Assume PELOD-2 is zero at discharge from PICU in survivors

- PELOD-2 calculated using the worst values of individual components each day until discharge

- If a certain variable (such as creatinine) was not measured on a given day, it is assumed to be normal [19]

 Acute kidney injury (AKI)

New-onset AKI

- AKI defined as per KDIGO 2012 criteria using serum creatinine values [20]

- Includes AKI within the first 7 days post-randomization if not present on admission. Serum creatinine values measured in the first 7 days post-randomization will be used to assess AKI as per KDIGO 2012 criteria

- Baseline creatinine: closest serum creatinine value prior to randomization, up to 12 h before randomization

- Predicted baseline creatinine: for children <1 year, the reported predicted creatinine values by Boer et al. will be used, whilst for children >1 year, the below formula will be employed [21].

Mean creatinine (micromol/L) = − 2.37330 − 12.91367 * loge (age) + 23.93581 * (age)1/2 [22]

Presence of AKI on admission:

For those with baseline creatinine:

- Baseline creatinine ≥ 1.5 times predicted baseline creatinine for those with baseline creatinine

For those without baseline creatinine:

- Patients will be assumed to have no AKI on admission

New onset AKI:

For those with baseline creatinine:

- New-onset AKI will be according to KIDIGO 2012 criteria using follow-up creatinine values. If no follow-up creatinine available, these patients would be deemed to have no AKI

For those without baseline creatinine:

- Predicted baseline creatinine value will be calculated and assumed to be the baseline value. This value will be compared to the follow-up value (where available) as per KDIGO 2012 criteria. Where no follow-up value is available, these patients would be deemed to have no AKI.

 Length of stay

Length of stay

- Length of stay in PICU from randomization to discharge

- Length of stay in hospital from randomization to discharge

 Survival

PICU free survival

- Censored at 28 days from the post-randomization

- Patients will be assumed to be alive once discharged from PICU

- For patients who die within 28 days, are discharged to a hospice or for palliative care, this value will be recorded as zero

Secondary safety outcomes, defined as serum electrolyte/metabolite abnormalities present from randomization to 48 h post-randomization

 Adverse event

Hyperkalaemia

- Serum potassium > 6.2 mmol/L

Hypokalaemia

- Serum potassium < 2.5 mmol/L

Hypercalcaemia

- Serum corrected total calcium > 3.1 mmol/L

Hypocalcaemia

- Serum corrected total calcium < 1.6 mmol/L

Hypermagnesaemia

- Serum magnesium > 1.4 mmol/L

Hyponatraemia

- Serum sodium < 125 mmol/L

Hyperlactataemia

- Arterial or venous blood gas lactate > 4 mmol/L

Death in hospital

- Number of deaths

  1. Legend: PICU paediatric intensive care unit, AKI acute kidney injury, KDIGO Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes, PELOD-2 Paediatric Logistic Organ Dysfunction 2 Score