Porcine trial validation of model-based cardiovascular monitoring of acute pulmonary embolism

Abstract

Introduction: Diagnosis and treatment of cardiac and circulatory dysfunction can be error-prone and relies heavily on clinical intuition and experience. Computer-based approaches utilising measurements available in the Intensive care unit (ICU) can provide a clearer physiological picture of a patient’s cardiovascular status to assist medical staff with diagnosis and therapy decisions. This research tests whether in silico subject-specific cardiovascular system (CVS) models, identified using only measurements available in the ICU, can track disease dependent changes in a porcine model of acute pulmonary embolism (APE). Conclusions: Personalised computer models of the CVS are capable of tracking disease dependent hemodynamic changes and monitoring the effectiveness of treatment in a porcine model of acute pulmonary embolism. Furthermore, the method… Has the potential to run in real time for continuous monitoring; Is cheap and easy to implement as it only utilises equipment and measurements already available in the ICU; Accurately estimates important CVS like preload (LVEDV, RVEDV), aftreload (systemic and pulmonary resistance and stiffness), inotropy (left and right ventricular end systolic elastance). These results suggest their may potential benefits in using computer models of the CVS to assist medical staff with diagnostic and therapeutical decisions.