PHYSIOLOGICAL MEASUREMENT, cilt.27, sa.1, 2006 (SCI-Expanded)
The standard venous admixture formula is widely used in the bedside assessment of intrapulmonary shunt in intensive care units. The intrapulmonary shunt fraction calculated by the standard venous admixture formula is affected by the systemic oxygen extraction ratio and thus reflects both systemic and intrapulmonary shunts, especially in septic patients with decreased oxygen extraction ratios. The standard venous admixture formula may cause misestimation of the intrapulmonary shunt fraction, especially in septic patients. Inert gas rebreathing techniques and simultaneous measurement of cardiac output by thermodilution and oxygen consumption by indirect calorimetry may be useful in septic patients.