[Comparison of cardiac output measurement in critical patients using transesophageal Doppler or thermodilution: a preliminary report].
BACKGROUND
Cardiac output can be measured non invasively by transesophageal Doppler. This is an alternative to measure it by thermodilution with a catheter in the pulmonary artery.


OBJECTIVE
To compare both methods of cardiac output measurement.


METHODS
Simultaneous measurement of cardiac output by transesophageal Doppler and thermodilution with a catheter in the pulmonary artery in four male critical patients, aged 60+/-12 years, hospitalized in a University Hospital. The Bland and Altman method to compare the concordance between two measurements, was used.


RESULTS
Forty measurements were performed. The results of both methods had a correlation coefficient of 0.98. According to the Bland and Altman method, the difference between both methods was -0.5 L with a precision of 0.52 L/min (95% confidence interval -1.51 to 0.52 L/min). Considering that a change between two sequential measurements is considered significant when the difference is more than 15%, both measurements agreed in 83% of cases, that there was a change in cardiac output.


CONCLUSIONS
Transesophageal Doppler is a promising non invasive technique to measure cardiac output in critical care patients. It becomes a valid alternative to the thermodilution technique. This preliminary experience must be confirmed in a larger series.
Andresen
Max
M
Unidad de Tratamiento Intensivo Médico, Facultad de Medicina, Hospital Clínico Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. andresen@med.puc.cl
Henríquez
Mauricio
M
Mercado
Marcelo
M
Farías
Gonzalo
G
Castillo
Carmen
C
Benítez
Carlos
C
Dougnac
Alberto
A
D002302:Cardiac Output / Q000502:physiology*; D002407:Catheterization, Swan-Ganz; D003422:Critical Care; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013815:Thermodilution / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards