Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 6, 2026

Visualization of Vascular and Parenchymal Regeneration after 70% Partial Hepatectomy in Normal Mice
Published on: September 13, 2016
Can Plasma Volume Determination in Cirrhosis Be Replaced by an Algorithm Using Body Weight and Hematocrit?
Martine Prütz Nørskov1, Thormod Mønsted1, Nina Kimer2
1Center of Functional and Diagnostic Imaging and Research, Department of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine 260, Copenhagen University Hospital, 2650 Hvidovre, Denmark.
Background:
Patients with cirrhosis often develop hyperdynamic circulation with increased cardiac output, heart rate, and redistribution of the circulating volume with expanded plasma volume (PV). PV determination is part of the evaluation of patients with cirrhosis, but gold-standard methods are invasive, expensive, and time-consuming. Therefore, other estimations of PV would be preferable, and the aim of this study was therefore to study if PV, as assessed by a simplified algorithm based on hematocrit and weight, can replace the gold-standard method.
Methods:
We included 328 patients with cirrhosis who had their PV assessed by the indicator dilution technique as the gold-standard method (PVI-125). Actual PV was estimated as PVa = (1 - hematocrit)·(a + (b·body weight)). Ideal PV was estimated as PVi = c · body weight, where a, b, and c are constants.
Results:
PVI-125, PVa, and PVi were 3.99 ± 1.01, 3.09 ± 0.54, and 3.01 ± 0.65 (Mean ± SD), respectively. Although PVI-125 correlated significantly with PVa (r = 0.72, p < 0.001), a Bland-Altman plot revealed wide limits of confidence.
Conclusions:
The use of simplified algorithms does not sufficiently estimate PV and cannot replace the indicator dilution technique.
Related Concept Videos
Composition of Blood Plasma
Physiological Pharmacokinetic Models: Assumption with Protein Binding
Effect of Hepatic Disease on Pharmacokinetics: Drug Dosing and Hepatic Blood Flow
Effect of Hepatic Disease on Pharmacokinetics: Pathophysiologic Assessment and Liver Function Test
Drug Dosing in Renal Diseases: Measurement of Serum Creatinine Concentration and Clearance
Drug Dosing in Renal Diseases: Estimation of Glomerular Filtration Rate Based on Serum Creatinine Concentration

