title: [The clinical application of pulmonary vascular permeability index on differential diagnosis of acute pulmonary edema].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the value of pulmonary vascular permeability index in differentiating acute lung injury (ALI) from cardiac pulmonary edema.
  
  
  METHODS
  Critically ill patients with acute pulmonary edema were included from May, 2004 to September, 2008. Patients were divided into two groups, the ALI group and the cardiac pulmonary edema group (C group). Pulmonary vascular permeability index (PVPI), intrathoracic blood volume (ITBVI) were determined by pulse indicator continuous cardiac output (PiCCO) system.
  
  
  RESULTS
  (1) Thirty-four patients were enrolled, 22 cases in ALI group and 12 cases in C group. (2) The PVPI in patients of ALI group (2.7 ± 1.4) was higher than that of C group (1.9 ± 0.6; P < 0.05). EVLWI and ITBVI did not have the significant difference between the two groups (P > 0.05). (3) PVPI was positively correlated with EVLWI (r = 0.762), negatively correlated with PaO2/FiO2 (r = -0.478). (4) ARDS was diagnosed in 13 cases, including 8 pulmonary cause (ARDSp) and 5 extra-pulmonary cause (ARDSexp). PVPI, EVLW/ITBV and EVLWI of patients with ARDSexp were obviously higher than those with ARDSp.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PVPI may be useful for differentiating the types of pulmonary edema in the critically ill.
authors: Department of Critical Care Medicine, Nanjing Zhongda Hospital, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China.
authors: Cong-shan
authors: CS
authors: Yang
authors: Jian-feng
authors: JF
authors: Xie
authors: Min
authors: M
authors: Mo
authors: Song-qiao
authors: SQ
authors: Liu
authors: Ying-zi
authors: YZ
authors: Huang
authors: Hai-bo
authors: HB
authors: Qiu
authors: Yi
authors: Y
authors: Yang
mesh_terms: D055371:Acute Lung Injury / Q000175:diagnosis; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002199:Capillary Permeability; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000098:blood supply; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011654:Pulmonary Edema / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012128:Respiratory Distress Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis