Abstract

BACKGROUND
To evaluate the feasibility of noninvasive hemodynamic monitoring (impedance cardiography, ICG) in critically ill patients, we compared this technique with simultaneous invasive monitoring with a pulmonary artery thermodilution catheter.
METHODS
A prospective observational study was done comparing invasive monitoring and noninvasive monitoring in 12 critically ill patients. The cardiac output (CO), the stroke volume (SV) and the systemic vascular resistance (SVR) measured by using a standard thermodilution pulmonary artery catheter technique were compared with the corresponding measurements simultaneously using an ICG.
RESULTS
The value of CO, SV and SVR measured by ICG were closely correlated to those by the thermodilution methods [r: 0.659 (p<0.01), 0.536 (p<0.01), 0.738 (p<0.01)].
CONCLUSIONS
ICG can provide hemodynamic information previously available only by invasive monitoring with a thermodilution catheter.

• Keywords: Hemodynamics;Cardiac output;Catheters;Impedance cardiography;