title: Right ventricular dysfunction in septic patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare right ventricular ejection fraction in trauma and septic patients during the hyperdynamic circulatory phase of these states.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective, consecutive study.
  
  
  METHODS
  University hospital ICU.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eleven trauma patients (group 1) and ten septic patients (group 2) were studied. Patients with circulatory shock were excluded from the study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Right ventricular ejection fraction was measured with a modified pulmonary artery catheter using the thermodilution method. Patients requiring catecholamines to maintain a systolic BP greater than 90 mm Hg were excluded from the study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both groups 1 and 2 had high mean cardiac output values (cardiac indices 4.7 +/- 0.9 [SD] and 4.6 +/- 1.4 L/min/m2, respectively). Right ventricular ejection fraction was significantly (p less than .005) reduced in septic patients (47 +/- 7.0% vs. 36 +/- 9.7%; group 1 vs. group 2) and end-diastolic volume index was significantly (p less than .01) increased (101 +/- 34 vs. 122 +/- 40 mL/m2; group 1 vs. group 2) in comparison with the trauma patients. However, there were no significant differences in afterload between the two groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Hemodynamic measurements comparing septic and trauma patients showed increased cardiac output in both groups and no differences in the pulmonary resistance. Right ventricular ejection fraction in the septic patients was significantly reduced compared with the trauma patients. Therefore, we concluded that right ventricular contractility may be decreased in septic patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Critical Care Medicine and Traumatology, Kyorin University Hospital, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mitsuo
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shimazaki
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Matsuda
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002407:Catheterization, Swan-Ganz; D005260:Female; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009104:Multiple Trauma / Q000150:complications*; D009200:Myocardial Contraction; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018805:Sepsis / Q000150:complications*; D013318:Stroke Volume; D013815:Thermodilution; D016278:Ventricular Function, Right