Real-time measurement of changes in cardiac output that occur after raising the lower extremities in a supine position in healthy adults

Suh, Joon Young; Park, Soon Chang; Park, Sung Wook; Han, Sang Kyooun; Cho, Young Mo; Bae, Byung Kwan

J Korean Soc Emerg Med > Volume 32(6); 2021 > Article

Original Article

Journal of The Korean Society of Emergency Medicine 2021;32(6): 586-590.

건강한 성인을 대상으로 바로 누운 자세에서 하지거상 후 발생하는 심박출량 변화의 실시간 측정

서준영

부산대학교병원 응급의학과

Real-time measurement of changes in cardiac output that occur after raising the lower extremities in a supine position in healthy adults

Department of Emergency Medicine, Pusan National University Hospital, Busan, Korea

Correspondence

Soon Chang Park ,Tel: 051-240-7503, Fax: 051-253-6472, Email: arinae99@naver.com,

Received: October 8, 2020; Revised: November 6, 2020 Accepted: November 6, 2020. Published online: December 31, 2021.

ABSTRACT

Objective:
Passive leg raising for treating patients with shock involves the elevation of the legs in the supine position and can also be applied to patients showing sudden aggravation after lying down for a certain period. A study involving healthy adults has reported that this type of passive leg raising is ineffective for those who spend a long time in the supine position. The study measured cardiac output intermittently using echocardiography rather than measuring it continuously in real time, making it impossible to examine the overall trend in cardiac output before and after the leg raise. This study aimed to examine changes and trends in cardiac output using a device that measures cardiac output in real time.
Method:
The present study was conducted from January to August 2020 and included healthy adults aged 18 years and above. Cardiac output was measured with a noninvasive cardiac output measuring device (electrical cardiometry, ICON) for 30 minutes in the supine position and for another 30 minutes in the supine position with the legs raised at 45° for 60 minutes.
Results:
A total of 40 participants were included in the study. Cardiac output increased from 5.13±1.42 L/min to 5.14± 1.64 L/min after the passive leg raise. However, the increase was not statistically significant (P=0.958).
Conclusion:
No statistically significant change was found between the cardiac outputs before the leg raise and after the leg raise.

Key words: Passive leg raising; Cardiac output; Electrical cardiometry