Lithium dilution cardiac output measurement: a comparison with thermodilution.

摘要: Objective To compare the results of cardiac output measurements obtained by lithium dilution and thermodilution. Design Case series, observational study. Setting High-dependency postoperative unit intensive care a teaching hospital. Patients Forty patients were studied. Thirty-four had undergoing heart surgery requiring cardiopulmonary bypass within previous 2 days; diagnoses in other myocardial infarct (n = 2), septicemia adult respiratory distress syndrome, pericardectomy. Interventions Cardiac was measured five times each patient, using (single measurement) bolus thermodilution (series three to six according standard clinical practice, taking average closest three). In subgroup 14 patients, also "continuous thermodilution." Measurements main Comparing with thermodilution, mean differences (lithium dilution-thermodilution) -0.25 +/- 0.46 [SD] L/min. Linear regression analysis gave y 0.31 + 0.89x (r2 .94) for vs. Conclusions The overall agreement between two methods good. variability greater than that measurements. method is at least as accurate and, since pulmonary artery catheterization not needed, it has advantages being safe quick perform.