Measurement of cardiac output by the pulse contour analysis (LiDCOTM plus) and the partial rebreathing of carbon dioxide (NICO) methods – a prospective comparative study

Overview

Objective:
To determine the cross-correlation of two methods of cardiac output measurement: pulse contour analysis (LiDCOTM plus) and partial rebreathing of carbon dioxide (NICO).

Design:
Prospective comparative study.

Setting:
Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care, Pardubice Hospital.

Materials and Methods:
The patient population consisted of adult patients admitted to our ICU for mechanical ventilation and pharmacological vasopressor support with a clinical indication for cardiac output (CO) monitoring by LiDCO. Additionally their CO was measured simultaneously by NICO for the duration of the study.

Results:
We studied 20 patients and performed 812 coupled measurements. The average and median cardiac index (CI = 1. min⁻¹ . m⁻²) by NICO was 3.7 and 3.5, the average and median CI by LiDCO 3.6 and 3.5 respectively.

Conclusion:
Measurement of CO by pulse contour analysis (LiDCOTM plus) was comparable to the partial rebreathing of carbon dioxide method (NICO) in our study.

Key words:
cardiac output – pulse contour analysis – lithium dilution – carbon dioxide rebreathing