End-tidal and arterial carbon dioxide measurements correlate across all levels of physiologic dead space.
BACKGROUND
End-tidal carbon dioxide (P(ETCO(2))) is a surrogate, noninvasive measurement of arterial carbon dioxide (P(aCO(2))), but the clinical applicability of P(ETCO(2)) in the intensive care unit remains unclear. Available research on the relationship between P(ETCO(2)) and P(aCO(2)) has not taken a detailed assessment of physiologic dead space into consideration. We hypothesized that P(ETCO(2)) would reliably predict P(aCO(2)) across all levels of physiologic dead space, provided that the expected P(ETCO(2))-P(aCO(2)) difference is considered.


METHODS
Fifty-six mechanically ventilated pediatric patients (0-17 y old, mean weight 19.5 +/- 24.5 kg) were monitored with volumetric capnography. For every arterial blood gas measurement during routine care, we measured P(ETCO(2)) and calculated the ratio of dead space to tidal volume (V(D)/V(T)). We assessed the P(ETCO(2))-P(aCO(2)) relationship with Pearson's correlation coefficient, in 4 V(D)/V(T) ranges.


RESULTS
V(D)/V(T) was <or= 0.40 for 125 measurements (25%), 0.41-0.55 for 160 measurements (32%), 0.56-0.70 for 154 measurements (31%), and >0.7 for 54 measurements (11%). The correlation coefficients between P(ETCO(2)) and P(aCO(2)) were 0.95 (mean difference 0.3 +/- 2.1 mm Hg) for V(D)/V(T) <or= 0.40, 0.88 (mean difference 5.9 +/- 4.3 mm Hg) for V(D)/V(T) 0.41-0.55, 0.86 (mean difference 13.6 +/- 5.2 mm Hg) for V(D)/V(T) 0.56-0.70, and 0.78 (mean difference 17.8 +/- 6.7 mm Hg) for V(D)/V(T) >0.7.


CONCLUSIONS
There were strong correlations between P(ETCO(2)) and P(aCO(2)) in all the V(D)/V(T) ranges. The P(ETCO(2))-P(aCO(2)) difference increased predictably with increasing V(D)/V(T).
McSwain
S David
SD
Division of Pediatric Critical Care, Duke University Medical Center, Nurham, North Carolina, USA. mcswains@musc.edu
Hamel
Donna S
DS
Smith
P Brian
PB
Gentile
Michael A
MA
Srinivasan
Saumini
S
Meliones
Jon N
JN
Cheifetz
Ira M
IM
D000293:Adolescent; D019296:Capnography; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D012121:Respiration, Artificial; D012126:Respiratory Dead Space; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013990:Tidal Volume
D002245:Carbon Dioxide