Work

Accuracy and trending ability of a pulse contour cardiac output monitor (LiDCO™ plus) calibrated with echocardiography in anesthetized dogs: a preliminary study

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: To evaluate the accuracy, agreement, and trending ability of the pulse contour cardiac output (PulseCO) system calibrated with echocardiography-derived cardiac output (CO) in sevoflurane-anesthetized healthy dogs during 8 hours of general anesthetic. Prospective, randomized, blinded experimental study A total of five healthy Beagle dogs, three intact females and two intact males. Dogs were anesthetized using intravenous alfaxalone for induction and sevoflurane in 100% oxygen for maintenance for 8 hours. CO was estimated using three methods: pulmonary artery catheter thermodilution (PAC-TD)-derived CO (CO PAC-TD ), Doppler-based echocardiography-derived CO (CO Echo ), and PulseCO-derived CO (CO PulseCO ). The PulseCO monitor was calibrated at baseline using CO Echo and not recalibrated during the anesthetic. Measurements were taken at baseline and at intervals up to eight hours. All CO values were converted to cardiac index (CI) by indexing to body surface area. Statistical analysis included Bland-Altman and linear regression analyses for agreement assessment and Critchley’s four-quadrant and polar plots for trending analysis. A total of 100 paired CI measurements were obtained. Bland-Altman analysis revealed a mean bias of −0.1 L minute −1 m −2 and percentage error of 28.3% for CI PAC-TD versus CI PulseCO , and a mean bias of 0.01 L minute −1 m −2 with a percentage error of 24.9% for CI PAC-TD versus CI Echo . Trending analysis between CI PAC-TD and CI PulseCO showed a concordance rate of 98.2% in the four-quadrant plot and a mean angular bias of 2.6° with radial limits of agreement ranging from −21.47° to 26.67° in the polar plot. The results indicate that the PulseCO system has acceptable accuracy, agreement, and trending ability compared with the traditional reference method of PAC-TD. This highlights the potential of the PulseCO system as a minimally invasive and practical monitoring tool in sevoflurane-anesthetized dogs.

Source: Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia

DOI: 10.1016/j.vaa.2026.101197