title: [What's the best assessment of preload after cardiac surgery?].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The assessment of the role of transesophageal echocardiography and invasive tests with pulmonary modified catheter to monitor the preload indexes in patients in intensive-care-unit after cardiac coronary surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between January and December 2004 24 patients (14 male, 10 female) with coronary artery disease were prospectively enrolled for preload assessment during off-pump myocardial revascularization. Pulmonary Capillary Wedge Pressure (PCWP), Left Ventricular End Diastolic Indexed Area (LVEDAI), delta Aortic Velocity (deltaVAo), Right Ventricular End Diastolic Volume (RVEDVI) as preload indexes were evaluated. Transesophageal echocardiography and pulmonary modified catheter monitoring were performed during the preoperative period at T1 and after fluid infusion (T2). Patients were considered Responders (R) or No Responders (NR) if the Stroke Volume Index increase at T2 was >20% with respect to T1.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean T1 PCWP was similar in both groups (12.8+/-2.2 in R vs. 11.4+/-3 mmHg in NR; p=NS) and mean increase of PCWP at T2 was similar in both groups (1.5+/-0.3% in R vs. 1.2+/-3% in NR; p=NS). Mean T1 RVEDVI was similar in both groups (97.33+/-34 in R vs. 101+/-21 ml/m2 in NR; p=NS); T2 RVEDVI was similar in R and NR Groups (122.11+/-49 vs. 138.54+/-30 ml/m2; p=NS); mean T1 and T2 LVEDAI was similar in R and NR (11.2+/-3.5 vs. 10.2+/-2.3 at T1 and 14.04+/-3.35 vs. 14.67+/-2.1 cm2/m2 at T2 respectively; p=NS). Higher mean value of T1 deltaVAo (20+/-7% in R vs. 10+/-2% in NR; p=0.006) were recorded while similar mean value of T2 deltaVAo were observed (11+/-3% in R vs. 5+/-2% in NR; p=0.743). Correlation index between T1 and T2 deltaVAo (R=0.82) in R was significant (p=0.0002), while correlation index between T1 and T2 deltaVAo (R=0.11) in NR was not significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study showed in patients soon after coronary cardiac surgery deltaVAo is the only predictor of "fluid responsiveness" and of ventricular compliance.
authors.affiliation: U.O. Cardioanestesia e Terapia Intensiva Cardiochirurgica, Azienda Ospedaliera San Sebastiano Caserta, Pozzuoli (Napoli), Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Rosario
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Piccirillo
authors.forename: Armando
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Natale
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Trosino
authors.forename: Marianna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sebastopoli
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Vivona
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: De Martino
authors.forename: Gennaro
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ismeno
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Piazza
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Belloni
mesh_terms: D001011:Aorta / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D002407:Catheterization, Swan-Ganz; D047549:Coronary Artery Bypass, Off-Pump; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal; D005260:Female; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D008297:Male; D011182:Postoperative Care; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011669:Pulmonary Wedge Pressure; D013318:Stroke Volume; D016276:Ventricular Function