Table 1 Inclusion and exclusion criteria

Inclusion criteria- all of:

 Suspected infection

  Temperature >38 °C or <36 °C

 Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome

  Tachycardia (temperature corrected heart rate >2 SD above normal for age^a)

   or

  Tachypnoea (respiratory rate >2 SD above normal for age)

 Plan to administer a standardised fluid bolus by the treating clinician

  Standardised fluid bolus: 20 ml/kg of 0.9 % saline administered via manual push/pull or pressure bag (NOT by infusion pump).

Exclusion criteria- any of:

 Underlying uncorrected structural cardiac disease

 Non-curative goals of therapy

 Non-English speaking