Objective: To determine the cross-correlation of two methods of cardiac output measurement: pulse contour analysis (LiDCOTM plus) and partial rebreathing of carbon dioxide (NICO). Design: Prospective comparative study. Setting: Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care, Pardubice Hospital. Materials and Methods: The patient population consisted of adult patients admitted to our ICU for mechanical ventilation and pharmacological vasopressor support with a clinical indication for cardiac output (CO) monitoring by LiDCO. Additionally their CO was measured simultaneously by NICO for the duration of the study. Results: We studied 20 patients and performed 812 coupled measurements. The average and median cardiac index (CI = 1. min-1 . m-2) by NICO was 3.7 and 3.5, the average and median CI by LiDCO 3.6 and 3.5 respectively. Conclusion: Measurement of CO by pulse contour analysis (LiDCOTM plus) was comparable to the partial rebreathing of carbon dioxide method (NICO) in our study.

        Key words: cardiac output – pulse contour analysis – lithium dilution – carbon dioxide rebreathing