Cardiac index measurements during rapid preload changes: a comparison of pulmonary artery thermodilution with arterial pulse contour analysis.

Study Objective: To compare cardiac index (CI) values obtained by pulmonary artery thermodilution (CIPA), arterial thermodilution (CITD), and arterial pulse contour analysis (CIPC) during rapid fluid administration, as accurate and rapid detection of CI changes is critical during acute preload changes for guiding volume and vasopressor therapy in critically ill patients, and the accuracy of CIPC during acute changes in loading condition is currently unknown.

Design: Prospective clinical study.

Setting: Cardiac surgical intensive care unit of a university hospital.

Influence of tidal volume on left ventricular stroke volume variation measured by pulse contour analysis in mechanically ventilated patients.

Objective: Real-time measurement of stroke volume variation by arterial pulse contour analysis (SVV) is useful in predicting volume responsiveness and monitoring volume therapy in mechanically ventilated patients. This study investigated the influence of the depth of tidal volume (V(t)) on SVV both during the state of fluid responsiveness and after fluid loading in mechanically ventilated patients.

Design And Setting: Prospective study in a university hospital, adult cardiac surgery intensive care unit.