Monitoring of intrathoracic volemia and cardiac output in critically ill children. (17/161)

AIM: Hemodynamic monitoring is an important step in the management of critically ill children despite the difficulty in measuring preload indices continuously. The aim of the study was to analyze cardiac output parameters and preload indices after acute changes in mean airway pressure and volemia. METHODS: Twenty-three children treated at our unit were enrolled in a prospective non randomized cohort study. Respiration was supported by controlled mechanical ventilation with positive expiratory-end pressure (PEEP), peak inspiratory pressure <20 cm H(2)O and mean airway pressure <10 cm H(2)O, and hemodynamic monitoring using the PiCCO system. Hemodynamic parameters were measured at T0 (base line), T(1) (after an increase in PEEP of 5 cm H(2)O for 10 min), and T(2) (after fluid challenge). The statistical analysis (BMPD New System software package) comprised comparison of changes at T(0) vs T(1), T(1) vs T(2) and T(0) vs T(2), construction of 3 correlation matrices and multiple linear regression analysis. RESULTS: Sixty-nine hemodynamic parameters were measured in the 23 patients. A comparison between T(0) and T(1) showed no significant changes; differences between T(0) and T(2) were found for cardiac index (CI), (p=0.003); between T(0) and T(2) significant differences were found for CI (p=0.0015), intrathoracic blood volume index (ITBVI) (p=0.04) and stroke volume index (SVI) (p=0.06). The analysis of the correlation matrices yielded ITBVI with CI (p=0.0006), ITBVI with SVI (p=1 x 10(-5)), CI with SVI (p=0.002); a significant correlation between CI and extravascular lung water index (EVLWI) was found only at T(1). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that ITBVI and SVI were predictive for variance of CI at each time point. CONCLUSION: ITBVI measured by a volumetric monitoring system such as the PiCCO may be considered a sensitive preload indicator also in critically ill children.  (+info)

The assessment of fluid status in haemodialysis patients: usefulness of the Doppler echocardiographic parameters. (18/161)

BACKGROUND: In end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients undergoing regular haemodialysis (HD), the maintenance of fluid status within an optimal range is critical. We therefore examined the role of Doppler echocardiographic parameters in the assessment of fluid status in these patients. METHODS: Three study groups were enrolled: 40 healthy volunteers (NTNR), 40 HD patients who were normotensive without receiving antihypertensive agents (NTHD) and 38 HD patients who had remained hypertensive (HTHD) despite antihypertensive treatment. Measurements of Doppler echocardiographic parameters from pulmonary vein (PV) and mitral inflow (Mi) were performed on a non-dialysis day. Extracellular water as a percentage of body weight (ECW%) and pre-dialysis mean blood pressure (BDMBP) were references for fluid status. The best Doppler parameter for fluid status assessment identified from the study groups was then tested in another validation groups (38 NTHD and 38 HTHD). RESULTS: Among all of the PV and Mi parameters, the S/D ratio (peak systolic velocity divided by peak diastolic velocity) was correlated with fluid status parameters best (with ECW%, r = -0.49, P<0.001; with BDMBP, r = -0.51, P<0.001). The correlations were independent of age, sex and Mi parameters. The receiver operating characteristics curve analysis demonstrated that an S/D ratio >1.33 had a sensitivity of 90% and a specificity of 77% in identifying NTHD patients. When the same criterion was applied to the validation groups, the positive predictive value was 64% and the negative predictive value was 86%. CONCLUSION: The Doppler-derived S/D ratio is a potentially useful marker for the assessment of fluid status in HD patients.  (+info)

Validation of fractional moving blood volume measurement with power Doppler ultrasound in an experimental sheep model. (19/161)

OBJECTIVE: To compare fractional moving blood volume (FMBV) estimation using power Doppler ultrasound (PDU) with blood flow estimation using radioactive microspheres (RMS) for evaluation of fetal organ blood perfusion. METHODS: Blood flow was measured in the adrenal gland of nine exteriorized fetal lambs. Five fetal lambs underwent total umbilical cord occlusion in order to induce changes in the adrenal blood flow (asphyxia group). Four lambs were used as sham controls (control group). Three RMS injections, with coincident PDU recordings of the adrenal gland, were performed in each lamb. In the asphyxia group, measurements were taken before the cord occlusion, 5 min later and when the mean blood pressure decreased below 25 mmHg. In the control group, the measurements were done with an interval of 5 min. FMBV normalized for attenuation of PDU signals, and mean pixel intensity (MPI) were estimated offline. After completion of the study, adrenal blood perfusion was calculated according to the reference sample microsphere technique, using the isotope activity and expressed in mL/min/100 g. The correlation between RMS and FMBV and MPI, respectively, was analyzed individually for each lamb. RESULTS: In the asphyxia group, all lambs showed a marked reduction in the adrenal blood perfusion towards the third RMS injection. In the control group, the adrenal perfusion showed small variations throughout the experiment. In the total material, there was a higher correlation between FMBV and RMS (median, r = 0.90; range, 0.43-0.99) than between MPI and RMS (median, r = 0.55; range, -0.53 to 0.99). CONCLUSION: The FMBV method of quantifying PDU signals correlates highly with blood flow perfusion estimation using RMS in the fetal lamb adrenal gland.  (+info)

Is it possible to predict the blood volume of a sick preterm infant? (20/161)

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relation between the measured intravascular blood volume (BV) and current methods of indirectly assessing BV status in sick preterm infants on the first day of life. METHODS: Thirty eight preterm infants of gestation 24-32 weeks (median 30) and weight 480-2060 g (median 1220) were studied. Red cell volume was measured by the fetal haemoglobin dilution method in six infants and by the biotin labelled autologous red cell dilution method in the remaining 32. Total BV was calculated by dividing red cell volume by packed cell volume. Indirect assessments of BV status using heart rate (HR), core-peripheral temperature difference, mean arterial pressure, base excess, and packed cell volume were recorded. RESULTS: The mean (SD) initial measured BV was 71 (12) ml/kg (range 53-105). The mean HR was 148 beats/min (range 130-180), which correlated positively (r = 0.39, p = 0.02) with BV (higher HR was associated with higher BV). The mean base excess was -3.19 mmol/l (range -18 to +6.2). The negative base excess correlated significantly positively (r = 0.41, p < 0.01) with BV (more acidotic babies tended to have higher BV). There was no significant correlation between core-peripheral temperature difference, mean arterial pressure, or packed cell volume and BV. Regression analysis showed that base excess and HR were significantly related to BV; base excess alone can predict variability in BV only to 17%, and base excess with HR can predict variability in BV to 29%. CONCLUSION: The conventional clinical and laboratory indices are poor predictors of measured blood volume.  (+info)

Brain incorporation of 11C-arachidonic acid, blood volume, and blood flow in healthy aging: a study with partial-volume correction. (21/161)

PET with 11C-arachidonic acid (AA) can be used to quantify neural signaling related to phospholipase A2 (PLA2). Animal studies suggest reduction in the activity of this signaling system with age. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of healthy aging on brain incorporation of 11C-AA, before and after partial-volume correction (PVC). METHODS: Absolute measurements of cerebral blood flow (CBF) were obtained in 8 young and 7 old healthy subjects (mean age +/- SD, 27 +/- 5 y and 65 +/- 9 y) with bolus injection of 15O-water. About 15 min later, dynamic 60-min 3-dimensional scans were acquired after the injection of 11C-AA. Radioactivity frames of 11C-AA were corrected for head motion and registered to magnetic resonance (MR) images. A 3-segment (3S) and a 2-segment (2S) PVC was applied pixel-by-pixel to the activity frames. For the 3S method, the white matter value was estimated using a new automatic method by extrapolating the activity values of pixels with white matter membership > 0.99. Parametric images of the brain incorporation rate of 11C-AA (K*) and cerebral blood volume (Vb), as well as CBF, were generated and regional gray matter values were obtained. RESULTS: Among cortical areas, there were no significant differences (uncorrected P < 0.05) in K* or Vb absolute values between young and old subjects before or after PVC. A significant reduction of CBF was detected in the frontal cortex of the elderly group. After normalization to the global gray average, K*, Vb, and CBF values revealed significant reductions in the frontal lobe of old subjects; none of these differences were significant after PVC. CONCLUSION: These results confirm previous PET findings that brain function at rest is minimally affected by healthy aging. Proper PVC methodology is of critical importance in accurate quantitative assessment of PET physiologic measures.  (+info)

Transcutaneous fluorescence dilution cardiac output and circulating blood volume during hemorrhagic hypovolemia. (22/161)

BACKGROUND: Cardiac output and circulating blood volume are important parameters for assessing cardiac function in the intensive care setting and during major surgeries. The authors tested in an animal model of hemorrhagic hypovolemia the feasibility of measuring these parameters simultaneously by transcutaneous fluorescence monitoring of an intravenous bolus injection of indocyanine green. METHODS: Fluorescence dilution cardiac output was measured in seven anesthetized rabbits and compared to thermodilution cardiac output. The optical probe used to excite the indocyanine green fluorescence was in contact with the skin above the ear artery. Local heating enhanced blood perfusion of the measurement site. Cardiac output was measured during baseline conditions, during hemorrhagic hypovolemia, and after partial restoration of the blood volume with reinfused blood. Estimates of the circulating blood volume were simultaneously obtained from the analysis of the fluorescence dilution traces. RESULTS: Cardiac output measured by fluorescence dilution (thermodilution) averaged 455 +/- 16 (450 +/- 13) ml/min in baseline conditions and 323 +/- 15 (330 +/- 13) ml/min during hypovolemia. Fluorescence dilution cardiac output was linearly related to thermodilution cardiac output (slope = 1.13 +/- 0.05, ordinate = -50 +/- 19 ml/min, R = 0.92). Interanimal differences explained most of the variance between cardiac output estimates obtained with the two techniques. Circulating blood volume decreased from 204 +/- 5 ml in baseline conditions to 174 +/- 8 ml after bleeding and reflected blood volume changes in this acute bleeding-reinfusion model. CONCLUSIONS: The study extends the applicability of the fluorescence dilution technique for cardiac output measurement to hypovolemic conditions and demonstrates its ability to produce accurate estimates of the circulating blood volume in experimental animals.  (+info)

Plethysmographic validation of near infrared spectroscopic monitoring of cerebral blood volume. (23/161)

The validation of measurement of cerebral blood volume (CBV) and cerebral blood flow (CBF) using near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) against jugular venous occlusion plethysmography is described. Repeated measurements in six infants were made using both techniques simultaneously. A close relationship between the two measurements of change in CBV was obtained in five infants. There was also a close relationship for measurement of CBF in four infants. This study confirms the possibility of using NIRS to monitor CBV continuously in the premature infant. This parameter may prove to be of greater clinical value than the intermittent measurement of CBF.  (+info)

Intradialytic blood volume monitoring in ambulatory hemodialysis patients: a randomized trial. (24/161)

Complications related to inadequate volume management are common during hemodialysis. This trial tested the hypothesis that availability of an intradialytic blood volume monitoring (IBVM) device improves fluid removal, reducing morbidity. A six-center, randomized trial with 6 mo of intervention comparing IBVM using Crit-Line versus conventional clinical monitoring was conducted. The average rate of non-access-related hospitalizations was compared across treatment groups using Poisson regression. Mortality analysis used the Kaplan Meier method. A total of 227 patients were randomized to Crit-Line, and 216 were randomized to conventional monitoring. Both groups had similar baseline characteristics. During the study, no differences in weight, BP, or number of dialysis-related complications were observed. There were 120 and 81 non-access-related hospitalizations in the Crit-Line and conventional monitoring groups. The adjusted risk ratio for non-access-related and access-related hospitalization was 1.61 (95% confidence interval 1.15 to 2.25; P = 0.01) and 1.52 (95% confidence interval 1.02 to 2.28; P = 0.04) for the Crit-Line monitoring group. Mortality was 8.7% in the Crit-Line monitoring group and 3.3% in the conventional group (P = 0.021). Standardized mortality ratios comparing the Crit-Line and conventional monitoring groups to the prevalent hemodialysis population were 0.77 (NS) and 0.26 (P < 0.001). Hospitalization rates were 1.51 and 1.03 events/yr in the Crit-Line and standard monitoring groups, compared with 2.01 for the prevalent hemodialysis population. IBVM was associated with higher nonvascular and vascular access-related hospitalizations and mortality compared with conventional monitoring. The atypically low hospitalization and mortality rates for the conventional monitoring group suggest that these findings should be generalized to the US hemodialysis population with caution.  (+info)