Table 1 Characteristics of included trials
Trial/year | Country | Sample size | Setting | Population | Experimental intervention | Comparator | Vasopressor treatment* | Duration of intervention | Primary outcome | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Â | Loop diuretics vs. placebo/no intervention | |||||||||
 Bagshaw 2017 [52] | Canada Australia | 73 | Mixed ICU | AKI | Furosemide bolus of 0.4 mg/kg followed by continuous infusion with starting dose of 0.05 mg/kg/hour. Goal directed titration. Max. 0.4 mg/kg/hour | In fusion of placebo (saline) | Yes (62.6%) | Max. 7 days | Worsening of AKI | |
 Berthelsen 2018 [37] | Denmark | 23 | Mixed ICU | Moderate to severe AKI and > 10% of fluid overload | 40 mg of furosemide iv followed by infusion of max. 40 mg/hour. If furosemide was not efficient enough according to protocol dialysis was initiated | Standard of care | Yes (100%) | 5 days | Cumulative fluid balance 5 days after randomisation | |
 Cardoso 2013 [55] | Brazil | 72 | Cardiac ICU | Decompensated heart failure | 120 mg of furosemide followed by titration according to effect | Standard of care | Not reporteda | 10 days | Time to being free from congestion | |
 Cinotti 2021 [54] | France | 171 | Mixed ICU | Mixed ICU patients | Furosemide 1–2 times a day. Max. 250 mg | No diuretics | Exclusion criterion | Until extubation or max. 28 days | Fluid balance. It was defined as weight variation from weight on randomisation to weight on successful extubation | |
 Hamishehkar 2017 [56] | Iran | 100 | Surgical ICU | AKI | 40–80 mg furosemide injection followed by infusion of 1–5 mg/hour | No diuretics | Yes (22%) | 7 days | AKI | |
 Sanchez 2003 [57] | Spain | 40 | Not described | AKI | Torsemide (dose not described) | Control not described | Yesb | Max. 7 days | Creatinine and need for RRT | |
| Â | Loop diuretics vs. other loop diuretics | |||||||||
 Han 2019 [59] | China | 248 | Cardiac ICU | Not described | Furosemide: 0.8 mg kg/hour | Ethacrynic acid: 0.5 mg/kg/hour | Not reported | Max. 3 days | Urine output | |
 Wappler 1991 [58] | Germany | 12 | Surgical ICU | Post cardiac surgery with decompensated heart failure | Furosemide bolus of 40 mg followed by infusion of 20 mg/hour. Extra bolus of 40 mg of furosemide was allowed if the diuresis was too low | Piretanide bolus of 12 mg followed by infusion of 6 mg/hour. Extra bolus of 12 mg was allowed if the diuresis was too low | Yes (100%) | 40 h | Fluid balance and electrolytes | |
| Â | Loop diuretics vs. other diuretics | |||||||||
 Ng 2020 [60] | USA | 33 | Cardiac ICU | Decompensated heart failure | Infusion of furosemide 5 mg/hour. Escalation possible after 24 h to a maximum of 20 mg/hour. Metolazone was allowed if the diuresis was less than protocolised on max. furosemide | Tablet tolvaptan 30 mg once a day. Escalation possible after 24 h to maximum 60 mg/day. Metolazone was allowed if the diuresis was less than protocolised on max. tolvaptan | Exclusion criterion | Max. 4 days | Urine output 24 h post randomisation | |
 Brown 2019 [53] | Australia | 25 | Mixed ICU | Mixed ICU patients | 40 mg furosemide injection | 500 mg acetazolamide injection | Not reported | 6 h | Urine output | |