CORRELATION OF DOPPLER-DERIVED VELOCITY CHANGE WITH CARDIAC INDEX

Doppler ultrasound may be used as a screen to determine the need for p lacement of a pulmonary artery catheter. We tested the utility of Dopp ler derived acceleration, in correlation with pulmonary artery cathete r derived cardiac index, as a screen for pulmonary artery catheter pla cement in 40 trauma patients. We found the expected quadratic relation ship between acceleration and cardiac index. We also found that accele ration less than 200 cm/s(2) correlates well with cardiac index less t han 3.0 liter/min/m(2).