Key result
Newer methods for measuring cardiac output lack direct comparison data against pulmonary artery catheter thermodilution in the adult donor population.
Prospective studies are needed to compare newer cardiac output measurement methods against pulmonary artery catheter thermodilution in adult donors.
Unvalidated newer cardiac output methods warrant caution in donor management; leaves open their accuracy versus thermodilution pending prospective comparisons.
Measurement of cardiac output may improve hemodynamic management in donor care. Selected traditional and more recent methods to quantify cardiac output are reviewed. The accuracy or concordance of these newer methods when compared with thermodilution techniques that use a pulmonary artery catheter—the current reference standard—is discussed. Data directly comparing these systems for measuring cardiac output in the donor population are unavailable. However, data from groups of hemodynamically unstable patients favor selection of a measurement method that permits comparison (calibration) with a reference standard. A prospective comparison of all methods against the pulmonary artery catheter thermodilution technique among donors would provide the best data to resolve this clinical and potentially cost-important question.
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Powner et al. (2011) conducted a review in Adult donor care. Newer methods to quantify cardiac output vs. Pulmonary artery catheter thermodilution was evaluated on Accuracy or concordance of newer methods compared with thermodilution. Newer methods for measuring cardiac output lack direct comparison data against pulmonary artery catheter thermodilution in the adult donor population.
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