Giraud R Siegenthaler N Bendjelid K 2011 When incorporating the values of a hemodynamic parameter into the care of patients, the precision of the measurement method should always be considered. A prospective analysis in the previous issue of Critical Care showed that the precision of transpulmonary thermodilution (TPTD) allows for reliable mean values if a standardised procedure is used. The present finding has a physiological basis, as TPTD requires a more prolonged transit time, which in turn reduces the effects that airway pressure and arrhythmia have on venous return-cardiac output steady states. Moreover, this result suggests that the current accepted threshold value of a 15% increase in cardiac output to identify a positive response to a fluid challenge could be reduced in the future. Indeed, this value is mainly related to the precision of the pulmonary artery catheter. https://sonar.ch/global/documents/240324 eng info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/doi/10.1186/cc10459 info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/pmid/21995848 Critical care (London, England). - 2011 Female Humans Injections Male Monitoring, Physiologic Thermodilution Transpulmonary thermodilution assessments: precise measurements require a precise procedure. http://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501