Indirect Calorimetry Overestimates Oxygen Consumption in Young Children: Caution is Advised Using Direct Fick Method as a Reference Method in Cardiac Output Comparison Studies. 2020

Theodor S Sigurdsson, and Lars Lindberg
Department of Pediatric Anesthesia and Intensive Care, Children's Hospital, Skåne University Hospital, Lund, Sweden. theodors@landspitali.is.

Direct Fick method is considered a standard reference method for estimation of cardiac output. It relies on indirect calorimetry to measure oxygen consumption. This is important as only a minor measurement error in oxygen consumption can result in false estimation of cardiac output. A number of studies have shown that indirect calorimetry overestimates oxygen consumption in adults. The aim of this prospective single center observational method comparison study was to compare the determination of oxygen consumption by indirect calorimetry and reverse Fick method in pediatric patients. Forty-two children mean age 352 days (range 30 to 1303 days) and mean weight 7.1 kg (range 2.7-13.6 kg) undergoing corrective cardiac surgery were included in the study. The mean (standard deviation) oxygen consumption by reverse Fick method was 43.5 (16.2) ml/min and by indirect calorimetry 49.9 (18.8) ml/min (p < 0.001). Indirect calorimetry overestimated the reverse Fick oxygen consumption by 14.7%. Bias between methods was 6.5 (11.3) ml/min, limits of agreement (LOA) - 15.7 and 28.7 ml/min and percentage error of 47.7%. A significant bias and large percentage error indicates that the methods are not interchangeable. Indirect calorimetry and the direct Fick method should be used with caution as a reference method in cardiac output comparison studies in young children.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D008991 Monitoring, Physiologic The continuous measurement of physiological processes, blood pressure, heart rate, renal output, reflexes, respiration, etc., in a patient or experimental animal; includes pharmacologic monitoring, the measurement of administered drugs or their metabolites in the blood, tissues, or urine. Patient Monitoring,Monitoring, Physiological,Physiologic Monitoring,Monitoring, Patient,Physiological Monitoring
D010101 Oxygen Consumption The rate at which oxygen is used by a tissue; microliters of oxygen STPD used per milligram of tissue per hour; the rate at which oxygen enters the blood from alveolar gas, equal in the steady state to the consumption of oxygen by tissue metabolism throughout the body. (Stedman, 25th ed, p346) Consumption, Oxygen,Consumptions, Oxygen,Oxygen Consumptions
D011446 Prospective Studies Observation of a population for a sufficient number of persons over a sufficient number of years to generate incidence or mortality rates subsequent to the selection of the study group. Prospective Study,Studies, Prospective,Study, Prospective
D012015 Reference Standards A basis of value established for the measure of quantity, weight, extent or quality, e.g. weight standards, standard solutions, methods, techniques, and procedures used in diagnosis and therapy. Standard Preparations,Standards, Reference,Preparations, Standard,Standardization,Standards,Preparation, Standard,Reference Standard,Standard Preparation,Standard, Reference
D012129 Respiratory Function Tests Measurement of the various processes involved in the act of respiration: inspiration, expiration, oxygen and carbon dioxide exchange, lung volume and compliance, etc. Lung Function Tests,Pulmonary Function Tests,Function Test, Pulmonary,Function Tests, Pulmonary,Pulmonary Function Test,Test, Pulmonary Function,Tests, Pulmonary Function,Function Test, Lung,Function Test, Respiratory,Function Tests, Lung,Function Tests, Respiratory,Lung Function Test,Respiratory Function Test,Test, Lung Function,Test, Respiratory Function,Tests, Lung Function,Tests, Respiratory Function
D002153 Calorimetry, Indirect Calculation of the energy expenditure in the form of heat production of the whole body or individual organs based on respiratory gas exchange. Calorimetry, Respiration,Calorimetries, Indirect,Calorimetries, Respiration,Indirect Calorimetries,Indirect Calorimetry,Respiration Calorimetries,Respiration Calorimetry
D002302 Cardiac Output The volume of BLOOD passing through the HEART per unit of time. It is usually expressed as liters (volume) per minute so as not to be confused with STROKE VOLUME (volume per beat). Cardiac Outputs,Output, Cardiac,Outputs, Cardiac
D002648 Child A person 6 to 12 years of age. An individual 2 to 5 years old is CHILD, PRESCHOOL. Children
D002675 Child, Preschool A child between the ages of 2 and 5. Children, Preschool,Preschool Child,Preschool Children

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