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Sonographic assessment of volaemia: development and validation of a new method in dogs
Author(s) -
Cambournac M.,
GoyThollot I.,
Violé A.,
Boisvineau C.,
PouzotNevoret C.,
Barthélemy A.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
journal of small animal practice
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.7
H-Index - 67
eISSN - 1748-5827
pISSN - 0022-4510
DOI - 10.1111/jsap.12759
Subject(s) - medicine , vena cava , aorta , kidney donation , inferior vena cava , limits of agreement , radiology , nuclear medicine , kidney , cardiology , kidney transplantation
Objectives The aims of this study were to describe a method for the sonographic assessment of volaemia, to determinate inter‐ and intra‐operator variability and to assess the ability to detect blood loss after blood donation in healthy dogs. Materials and Methods The left kidney was identified in a spleno‐renal view, and transverse views of the caudal vena cava and aorta were obtained in 12 dogs. Vessel diameters were measured in B‐mode, in duplicate by two operators, and the caudal vena cava:aorta ratio was calculated. Intra‐ and inter‐operator variabilities were assessed using a Bland–Altman method by plotting the differences between the repeated measurements obtained from the same subject by the same operator and by the two operators against their means. Before and after blood donation measurements were compared using paired t ‐tests or one‐sample t ‐tests, if appropriate. Results Intra‐ and inter‐operator variability was within the limit of agreement for the vast majority of measurements. After a blood donation of 9·8 ±2·2 mL/kg, the mean aorta measurements were not significantly different from those obtained before blood donation (1·11 versus 1·10, P=0·28), whereas the mean caudal vena cava measurements and caudal vena cava:aorta ratios were significantly lower (1·28 versus 1·01, P<0·0001; 1·17 versus 1·01, P=0·0001, respectively). Clinical Significance The low intra‐ and inter‐operator variabilities in the caudal vena cava, aorta and caudal vena cava:aorta ratio measurements support their reliability and operator independency. The sonographic assessment of volaemia appears to be a promising non‐invasive, repeatable point‐of‐care ultrasound protocol for assessment and monitoring of blood loss. Further studies are needed to assess the sonographic assessment of volaemia protocol in spontaneously bleeding dogs.