Pleth Variability Index predicts fluid responsiveness in critically ill patients

Excerpt

In patients with acute circulatory failure related to sepsis or hypovolemia, volume expansion is used as first-line therapy in an attempt to improve cardiac output. Dynamic indices based on cardiopulmonary interactions and variation in left ventricular stroke volume like respiratory variations in arterial pulse pressure (ΔPP) are able to predict response to fluid loading in mechanically ventilated patients. The Pleth Variability Index (PVI) (Masimo^® Corp., Irvine, CA, USA) is a new non-invasive technique based on perfusion index (PI) variations during the respiratory cycle in mechanically ventilated patients. The objective of the study is to investigate whether PVI, a non-invasive and continuous tool, can predict fluid responsiveness in mechanically ventilated patients with circulatory insufficiency. …