title: Reliability of intra-abdominal pressure measurements using the modified Kron technique.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Assessment of intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) and the likelihood of abdominal compartment syndrome using valid and reliable measures is an important tool in the assessment of critically ill patients. The current method of relying on a single IAP per measurement period to determine patient clinical status raises the question: is a single intermittent IAP measurement an accurate indicator of clinical status or should more than one measurement be taken per measurement period?
  
  
  METHODS
  This study sought to assess the reliability of IAP measurements. Measurements were taken using the modified Kron technique. A total of two transvesical intra-abdominal pressure measurements were undertaken per patient using a standardized protocol. Recordings were taken at intervals of 5 minutes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The majority of participants (58%) were surgical patients. Thirty-two were males and the mean age was 58 years (SD: 16·7 years). The concordance correlation coefficient between the two measurements was 0·95. Both the scatter and Bland-Altman plots demonstrate that the comparisons of two measurements are highly reproducible.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings of this study suggest that conducting two IAP measurements on single patient produce comparable results; therefore, there appears to be no advantage in doing two IAP measurements on a single patient. The measurement of an IAP requires the implementation of a standardized protocol and competent and credentialed assessors trained in the procedure.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hunt
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Frost
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Alexandrou
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hillman
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Newton
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Davidson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D019937:Diagnostic Techniques and Procedures; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D059325:Intra-Abdominal Hypertension / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015203:Reproducibility of Results
keywords: Abdominal compartment syndrome,; Intra-abdominal hypertension,; Reliability,; Validity; Variability,