Inter- and intrasubject variability of the thermodilution measurement of right ventricular ejection fraction and volume in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Study Objective: To determine the spontaneous changes in volumetric indices of right ventricular function assessed by thermodilution.

Design: The study involved measurements of inter- and intraindividual variation of right ventricular function in human subjects at rest and at two different levels of low load supine bicycle exercise.

Subjects: The subjects were 23 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, referred for evaluation by right heart catheterisation.