Plethysmographic variability index (PVI) accuracy in predicting fluid responsiveness in anesthetized children

Florence Julien1, Julie Hilly, Tarik B Sallah

  • 1Department of Anesthesia, Intensive care and Pain Management, Robert Debré University Hospital, Paris Diderot University, Paris Sorbonne Cité, Paris, France.

Paediatric Anaesthesia
|March 26, 2013
PubMed

Insights

The Plethysmographic Variability Index (PVI) accurately predicts fluid responsiveness in children undergoing noncardiac surgery. However, a significant portion of PVI values were inconclusive, indicating a need for further research.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Anesthesiology
  • Critical Care Medicine
  • Hemodynamic Monitoring

Background:

  • The Plethysmographic Variability Index (PVI) is a validated tool for predicting fluid responsiveness in adults.
  • Its accuracy in pediatric populations undergoing noncardiac surgery remains less understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the accuracy of PVI in predicting fluid responsiveness in children aged 2-10 years during noncardiac surgery.
  • To compare PVI's predictive performance with Stroke Volume Index (SVI).

Main Methods:

  • PVI and SVI were measured simultaneously in 54 children undergoing general anesthesia for noncardiac surgery.
  • Fluid responsiveness was defined as a >15% increase in SVI after a 10 ml·kg(-1) saline bolus.
  • Statistical analysis included ROC curves and gray zone analysis.

Main Results:

  • PVI demonstrated good accuracy (AUC 0.85) in predicting fluid responsiveness.
  • A notable gray zone (10-17%) for PVI indicated inconclusive results in 34% of cases, higher post-incision (44%).
  • SVI also showed good accuracy (AUC 0.8), with comparable gray zone limits pre- and post-incision.

Conclusions:

  • Both PVI and baseline SVI are accurate predictors of fluid load response in anesthetized children during noncardiac surgery.
  • A substantial proportion of PVI measurements fell within the gray zone, limiting its clinical utility in certain scenarios.
Abstract