title: Transpulmonary thermodilution assessments: precise measurements require a precise procedure.
abstract: When incorporating the values of a hemodynamic parameter into the care of patients, the precision of the measurement method should always be considered. A prospective analysis in the previous issue of Critical Care showed that the precision of transpulmonary thermodilution (TPTD) allows for reliable mean values if a standardised procedure is used. The present finding has a physiological basis, as TPTD requires a more prolonged transit time, which in turn reduces the effects that airway pressure and arrhythmia have on venous return-cardiac output steady states. Moreover, this result suggests that the current accepted threshold value of a 15% increase in cardiac output to identify a positive response to a fluid challenge could be reduced in the future. Indeed, this value is mainly related to the precision of the pulmonary artery catheter.
authors: Service of Intensive Care, Geneva University Hospitals, CH-1211 Geneva 14, Switzerland.
authors: Raphaël
authors: R
authors: Giraud
authors: Nils
authors: N
authors: Siegenthaler
authors: Karim
authors: K
authors: Bendjelid
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007267:Injections / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000592:standards*; D013815:Thermodilution / Q000379:methods*