Hypotension Prediction Index Is Equally Effective in Predicting Intraoperative Hypotension during Noncardiac Surgery Compared to a Mean Arterial Pressure Threshold: A Prospective Observational Study.

BACKGROUND: The Hypotension Prediction Index is designed to predict intraoperative hypotension in a timely manner and is based on arterial waveform analysis using machine learning. It has recently been suggested that this algorithm is highly correlated with the mean arterial pressure itself. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare the index with mean arterial pressure-based prediction methods, and it is hypothesized that their ability to predict hypotension is comparable. METHODS: In this observational study, the Hypotension Prediction Index was used in addition to routine intraoperative monitoring during moderate- to high-risk elective noncardiac surgery. The agreement in time between the default Hypotension Prediction Index alarm (greater than 85) and different concurrent mean arterial pressure thresholds was evaluated. Additionally, the predictive performance of the index and different mean arterial pressure-based methods were assessed within 5, 10, and 15 min before hypotension occurred. RESULTS: A total of 100 patients were included. A mean arterial pressure threshold of 73 mmHg agreed 97% of the time with the default index alarm, whereas a mean arterial pressure threshold of 72 mmHg had the most comparable predictive performance. The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve of the Hypotension Prediction Index (0.89 [0.88 to 0.89]) and concurrent mean arterial pressure (0.88 [0.88 to 0.89]) were almost identical for predicting hypotension within 5 min, outperforming both linearly extrapolated mean arterial pressure (0.85 [0.84 to 0.85]) and delta mean arterial pressure (0.66 [0.65 to 0.67]). The positive predictive value was 31.9 (31.3 to 32.6)% for the default index alarm and 32.9 (32.2 to 33.6)% for a mean arterial pressure threshold of 72 mmHg. CONCLUSIONS: In clinical practice, the Hypotension Prediction Index alarms are highly similar to those derived from mean arterial pressure, which implies that the machine learning algorithm could be substituted by an alarm based on a mean arterial pressure threshold set at 72 or 73 mmHg. Further research on intraoperative hypotension prediction should therefore include comparison with mean arterial pressure-based alarms and related effects on patient outcome.

Arterial pulse wave modeling and analysis for vascular-age studies: a review from VascAgeNet.

Arterial pulse waves (PWs) such as blood pressure and photoplethysmogram (PPG) signals contain a wealth of information on the cardiovascular (CV) system that can be exploited to assess vascular age and identify individuals at elevated CV risk. We review the possibilities, limitations, complementarity, and differences of reduced-order, biophysical models of arterial PW propagation, as well as theoretical and empirical methods for analyzing PW signals and extracting clinically relevant information for vascular age assessment. We provide detailed mathematical derivations of these models and theoretical methods, showing how they are related to each other. Finally, we outline directions for future research to realize the potential of modeling and analysis of PW signals for accurate assessment of vascular age in both the clinic and in daily life.

Effect of a Machine Learning-Derived Early Warning System for Intraoperative Hypotension vs Standard Care on Depth and Duration of Intraoperative Hypotension During Elective Noncardiac Surgery: The HYPE Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Intraoperative hypotension is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. A machine learning-derived early warning system to predict hypotension shortly before it occurs has been developed and validated. Objective: To test whether the clinical application of the early warning system in combination with a hemodynamic diagnostic guidance and treatment protocol reduces intraoperative hypotension. Design, Setting, and Participants: Preliminary unblinded randomized clinical trial performed in a tertiary center in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, among adult patients scheduled for elective noncardiac surgery under general anesthesia and an indication for continuous invasive blood pressure monitoring, who were enrolled between May 2018 and March 2019. Hypotension was defined as a mean arterial pressure (MAP) below 65 mm Hg for at least 1 minute. Interventions: Patients were randomly assigned to receive either the early warning system (n = 34) or standard care (n = 34), with a goal MAP of at least 65 mm Hg in both groups. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was time-weighted average of hypotension during surgery, with a unit of measure of millimeters of mercury. This was calculated as the depth of hypotension below a MAP of 65 mm Hg (in millimeters of mercury) × time spent below a MAP of 65 mm Hg (in minutes) divided by total duration of operation (in minutes). Results: Among 68 randomized patients, 60 (88%) completed the trial (median age, 64 [interquartile range {IQR}, 57-70] years; 26 [43%] women). The median length of surgery was 256 minutes (IQR, 213-430 minutes). The median time-weighted average of hypotension was 0.10 mm Hg (IQR, 0.01-0.43 mm Hg) in the intervention group vs 0.44 mm Hg (IQR, 0.23-0.72 mm Hg) in the control group, for a median difference of 0.38 mm Hg (95% CI, 0.14-0.43 mm Hg; P = .001). The median time of hypotension per patient was 8.0 minutes (IQR, 1.33-26.00 minutes) in the intervention group vs 32.7 minutes (IQR, 11.5-59.7 minutes) in the control group, for a median difference of 16.7 minutes (95% CI, 7.7-31.0 minutes; P < .001). In the intervention group, 0 serious adverse events resulting in death occurred vs 2 (7%) in the control group. Conclusions and Relevance: In this single-center preliminary study of patients undergoing elective noncardiac surgery, the use of a machine learning-derived early warning system compared with standard care resulted in less intraoperative hypotension. Further research with larger study populations in diverse settings is needed to understand the effect on additional patient outcomes and to fully assess safety and generalizability. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03376347.

Distinct morphologies of arterial waveforms reveal preload-, contractility-, and afterload-deficient hemodynamic instability: An in silico simulation study.

Hemodynamic instability is frequently present in critically ill patients, primarily caused by a decreased preload, contractility, and/or afterload. We hypothesized that peripheral arterial blood pressure waveforms allow to differentiate between these underlying causes. In this in-silico experimental study, a computational cardiovascular model was used to simulate hemodynamic instability by decreasing blood volume, left ventricular contractility or systemic vascular resistance, and additionally adaptive and compensatory mechanisms. From the arterial pressure waveforms, 45 features describing the morphology were discerned and a sensitivity analysis and principal component analysis were performed, to quantitatively investigate their discriminative power. During hemodynamic instability, the arterial waveform morphology changed distinctively, for example, the slope of the systolic upstroke having a sensitivity of 2.02 for reduced preload, 0.80 for reduced contractility, and -0.02 for reduced afterload. It was possible to differentiate between the three underlying causes based on the derived features, as demonstrated by the first two principal components explaining 99% of the variance in waveforms. The features with a high correlation coefficient (>0.25) to these principal components are describing the systolic up- and downstroke, and the anacrotic and dicrotic notches of the waveforms. In this study, characteristic peripheral arterial waveform morphologies were identified that allow differentiation between deficits in preload, contractility, and afterload causing hemodynamic instability. These findings are confined to an in silico simulation and warrant further experimental and clinical research in order to prove clinical usability in daily practice.

Incidence, Severity and Clinical Factors Associated with Hypotension in Patients Admitted to an Intensive Care Unit: A Prospective Observational Study.

Background: The majority of patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) experience severe hypotension which is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. At present, prospective studies examining the incidence and severity of hypotension using continuous waveforms are missing. Methods: This study is a prospective observational cohort study in a mixed surgical and non-surgical ICU population. All patients over 18 years were included and continuous arterial pressure waveforms data were collected. Mean arterial pressure (MAP) below 65 mmHg for at least 10 s was defined as hypotension and a MAP below 45 mmHg as severe hypotension. The primary outcome was the incidence of hypotension. Secondary outcomes were the severity of hypotension expressed in time-weighted average (TWA), factors associated with hypotension, the number and duration of hypotensive events. Results: 499 patients were included. The incidence of hypotension (MAP < 65 mmHg) was 75% (376 out of 499) and 9% (46 out of 499) experienced severe hypotension. Median TWA was 0.3 mmHg [0−1.0]. Associated clinical factors were age, male sex, BMI and cardiogenic shock. There were 5 (1−12) events per patients with a median of 52 min (5−170). Conclusions: In a mixed surgical and non-surgical ICU population the incidence of hypotension is remarkably high.