European journal of anaesthesiology
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Outcome prediction and evaluation of intensive care unit (ICU) performance using severity of illness scoring is a tool for the estimation of effectiveness and quality of intensive care. We used the simplified acute physiology score (SAPS) II system to evaluate ICU performance. ⋯ The SAPS II system is a useful tool for the assessment of ICU performance. This system demonstrated a good ability of discrimination, but an under-prediction of the actual mortality rate, in Lithuanian ICUs.
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We evaluated the validity of a newly developed pulse dye densitometer for indigo carmine for measuring cardiac output and circulating blood volume. ⋯ These data indicate that indigo carmine densitometry is a reliable method for cardiac output determination, but it overestimates circulating blood volume, probably due to the transition of indigo carmine into the extravascular space in the systemic circulation.