Inferior vena cava peak velocity versus collapsibility index to predict volume status in patients with gastrointestinal bleeding: A pilot study

Abstract: OBJECTIVES: Patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) with hemorrhagic shock secondary to acute gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding represent a substantial proportion of the critically ill population. Accurate evaluation of intravascular volume status in these patients is crucial for guiding fluid resuscitation. However, the limitations of invasive methods and inferior vena cava (IVC) diameter/collapsibility measurements in assessing intravascular volume have been widely discussed in the literature. Despite their validation, noninvasive hemodynamic monitoring techniques remain underutilized in the ED. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the predictive value of IVC blood flow velocity measured by Doppler ultrasonography in intravascular volume assessment and to compare it with the IVC collapsibility index. Electrical velocity measurement was used as a surrogate marker of volume deficit.