Hemodynamic Variations During Remote Ischemic Conditioning in Critical Ill Patients

The investigators hypothesized that the inflation of the blood pressure cuff during the remote ischemic conditioning (RIC) procedure would lead to an increase in stroke volume (SV), cardiac index (CI), and peripheral perfusion index and that these changes would correlate with the hemodynamic changes induced by passive leg raising (PLR).

Furthermore, the clinical relevance of the RIC effect in critically ill patients, particularly in terms of determining their hemodynamic responsiveness, remains uncertain. The investigators hypothesized that the RIC procedure influences hemodynamic changes during PLR.

Inclusion criteria

• aged over 18 years,
• admitted to the intensive care unit,
• monitored with a transpulmonary thermodilution device with calibrated pulse contour analysis (Pulsion Medical Systems, Munich, Germany),
• decision by the physician in charge to perform passive leg raising.

Exclusion criteria

• pregnancy,
• advanced malignancy,
• peripheral artery disease affecting both arms,
• head trauma,
• deep vein thrombosis in the lower limbs,
• intra-abdominal hypertension, defined as an intra-abdominal pressure greater than 12 mmHg.