Volume depletion according to ITBI was found in more than half the patients. The predictive values of CVP and hematocrit with regard to volume depletion were low. ITBI and its changes significantly correlated to CI and its changes, which was not observed for CVP and delta-CVP. Therefore, ITBI appears to be more appropriate for volume management in necrotizing pancreatitis than CVP or hematocrit.

Introduction Circulatory dysfunction in cirrhotic patients may cause a specific kind of functional renal failure termed hepato-renal syndrome (HRS). It contributes to the high incidence of renal failure in cirrhotic intensive care unit (ICU) patients. Fluid therapy may aggravate renal failure by increasing ascites and intra-abdominal pressure (IAP). This study investigates the short-term effects of paracentesis on haemodynamics and kidney function in volume resuscitated patients with HRS. Methods Nineteen consecutive cirrhotic patients with HRS were studied. Circulatory parameters and renal function were analysed before and after plasma expansion and paracentesis. Haemodynamic monitoring was performed by transpulmonary thermodilution. Results After infusion of 200 ml of 20% human albumin solution, mean arterial pressure (MAP) and central venous pressure remained unchanged. Global end-diastolic volume index (GEDVI) increased from 791 ml m -2 (693 to 862) (median and 25th to 75th percentile) to 844 ml m -2 (751 to 933). Cardiac index (CI) increased from 4.1 l min -1 m -2 (3.6 to 5.0) to 4.7 l min -1 m -2 (4.0 to 5.8), whereas systemic vascular resistance index (SVRI) decreased from 1,422 dyn s cm -5 m -2 (1,081 to 1,772) to 1,171 dyn s cm -5 m -2 (893 to 1,705). Creatinine clearance (CC) and fractional excretion of sodium (FeNa) were not affected. During paracentesis, IAP decreased from 22 mmHg (18 to 24) to 9 mmHg (8 to 12). MAP decreased from 81 mmHg (74 to 100) to 80 mmHg (71 to 89), and CI increased from 4.1 l min -1 m -2 (3.2 to 4.3) to 4.2 l min -1 m -2 (3.6 to 4.7), whereas SVRI decreased from 1,639 dyn s cm -5 m -2 (1,168 to 2,037) to 1,301 dyn s cm -5 m -2 (1,124 to 1,751). CC during the 12-hour interval after paracentesis was significantly higher than during the 12 hours before (33 ml min -1 (16 to 50) compared with 23 ml min -1 (12 to 49)). CC remained elevated for the rest of the observation period. FeNa increased after paracentesis but returned to baseline levels after 24 hours. Conclusion Paracentesis with parameter-guided fluid substitution and maintenance of central blood volume may improve renal function and is safe in the treatment of ICU patients with hepato-renal failure.

In patients with cirrhosis, HRS and tense ascites, IAP may contribute to renal dysfunction. Reduction of IAP following paracentesis and albumin substitution may improve ClCreat, probably by improving renal blood flow as reflected by decreasing RI in Doppler ultrasound.

BackgroundVariability of body weight (BW) and height calls for indexation of volumetric hemodynamic parameters. Extravascular lung water (EVLW) has formerly been indexed to actual BW (BWact) termed EVLW-index (EVLWI). In overweight patients indexation to BWact might inappropriately lower indexed EVLWIact. Several studies suggest indexation of EVLWI to predicted BW (EVLWIpred). However, data regarding association of EVLWIact and EVLWpred to mortality and PaO2/FiO2 are inconsistent. Two recent studies based on biometric database-analyses suggest indexation of EVLWI to height (EVLWIheight). Therefore, our study compared the association of un-indexed EVLW, EVLWIheight, EVLWpred and EVLWIact to PaO2/FiO2 and Oxygenation index (OI = mean airway pressure*FiO2*/PaO2).MethodsA total of 2119 triplicate transpulmonary thermodilutions (TPTDs; PiCCO; Pulsion Medical-Systems, Germany) were performed in 50 patients from the evaluation, and 181 patients from the validation groups. Correlations of EVLW and EVLWI to PaO2/FiO2, OI and ROC-AUC-analyses regarding PaO2/FiO2<200 mmHg (primary endpoint) and OI>10 were performed.ResultsIn the evaluation group, un-indexed EVLW (AUC 0.758; 95%-CI: 0.637-0.880) and EVLWIheight (AUC 0.746; 95%-CI: 0.622-0.869) provided the largest ROC-AUCs regarding PaO2/FiO2<200 mmHg. The AUC for EVLWIpred was smaller (0.713). EVLWIact provided the smallest AUC (0.685). This was confirmed in the validation group: EVLWIheight provided the largest AUC (0.735), EVLWIact (0.710) the smallest. In the merged data-pool, AUC was significantly greater for EVLWIheight (0.729; 95%-CI: 0.674–0.784) compared to all other indexations including EVLWIact (ROC-AUC 0.683, p = 0.007) and EVLWIpred (ROC-AUC 0.707, p = 0.015). The association of EVLW(I) was even stronger to OI compared to PaO2/FiO2. In the merged data-pool, EVLWIheight provided the largest AUC regarding “OI>10” (0.778; 95%-CI: 0.713–0.842) compared to 0.739 (95%-CI: 0.669–0.810) for EVLWIact and 0.756 (95%-CI: 0.688–0.824) for EVLWIpred.ConclusionsIndexation of EVLW to height (EVLWIheight) improves the association of EVLW(I) to PaO2/FiO2 and OI compared to all other indexations including EVLWIpred and EVLWIact. Also considering two recent biometric database analyses, EVLWI should be indexed to height.