Compression pressure of the external jugular vein for the assessment of intravascular volume status in decompensated cirrhosis: A pilot study.
Publisher DOI
PubMed ID
41704424
Abstract
Background & Aims
Patients with decompensated cirrhosis are susceptible to iatrogenic hypervolemia. A pilot study using point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) of the inferior vena cava (IVC) found severe hypervolemia in 20% of patients after intravenous (IV) albumin, despite adherence to current guidelines. CPMX2 is a novel non-invasive device that uses external jugular vein (EJV) compression to assess central venous pressure, but its ability to predict post-albumin hypervolemia has not been studied. We aimed to track changes in intravascular volume status during passive leg raise (PLR) and IV albumin using both methods.Methods
IVC diameters (IVCmin, IVCmax) and IVC collapsibility index (IVCCI) were measured by POCUS, and EJV compression pressures (EJVmin, EJVmax, EJVmean) were measured by CPMX2, in parallel before and during PLR, as well as before and after IV albumin. Potential intravascular overload was defined as IVCmax >2.1 cm and IVCCI <50%, or EJVmean ≥9 mmHg.Results
In this prospective cohort of 20 patients (35% women; median age 62 years; mean BMI 25.7 kg/m2; 55% Child-Pugh B; 80% receiving paracentesis), all IVC diameters and EJV compression pressures increased during PLR and after IV albumin. Percentage changes in EJV compression pressures were greater than changes in IVC diameters during PLR (mean EJVmax +88%, EJVmean +65% vs. IVCmax +16%, IVCmin +26%; all p <0.01). After IV albumin, changes were comparable between the methods (mean EJVmax +68%, EJVmin +80%, EJVmean +75% vs IVCmax +58%, IVCmin +79%). Potential post-albumin volume overload occurred in most cases (POCUS 65%, CPMX2 95%).Conclusions
Both POCUS and CPMX2 detected substantial volume changes during PLR and following IV albumin. CPMX2 appeared more sensitive to dynamic changes during PLR and identified more patients with potential post-albumin volume overload, suggesting it may help individualize fluid management in decompensated cirrhosis.Impact And Implications
Intravascular volume overload after albumin infusion is a major concern in patients with decompensated cirrhosis and was observed in its most severe form in 20% of patients using POCUS-IVC (point-of-care ultrasound of the inferior vena cava). In this pilot study, we detected substantial volume shifts during passive leg raise and after albumin infusion using both POCUS-IVC and a novel external jugular vein compression technique (CPMX2) in parallel. CPMX2 appeared more sensitive to dynamic changes during passive leg raise and identified a larger proportion of patients with intravascular volume overload following intravenous albumin. These findings suggest that CPMX2 could serve as a promising non-invasive tool for early assessment and individualized monitoring of volume status in decompensated cirrhosis.
Patients with decompensated cirrhosis are susceptible to iatrogenic hypervolemia. A pilot study using point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) of the inferior vena cava (IVC) found severe hypervolemia in 20% of patients after intravenous (IV) albumin, despite adherence to current guidelines. CPMX2 is a novel non-invasive device that uses external jugular vein (EJV) compression to assess central venous pressure, but its ability to predict post-albumin hypervolemia has not been studied. We aimed to track changes in intravascular volume status during passive leg raise (PLR) and IV albumin using both methods.Methods
IVC diameters (IVCmin, IVCmax) and IVC collapsibility index (IVCCI) were measured by POCUS, and EJV compression pressures (EJVmin, EJVmax, EJVmean) were measured by CPMX2, in parallel before and during PLR, as well as before and after IV albumin. Potential intravascular overload was defined as IVCmax >2.1 cm and IVCCI <50%, or EJVmean ≥9 mmHg.Results
In this prospective cohort of 20 patients (35% women; median age 62 years; mean BMI 25.7 kg/m2; 55% Child-Pugh B; 80% receiving paracentesis), all IVC diameters and EJV compression pressures increased during PLR and after IV albumin. Percentage changes in EJV compression pressures were greater than changes in IVC diameters during PLR (mean EJVmax +88%, EJVmean +65% vs. IVCmax +16%, IVCmin +26%; all p <0.01). After IV albumin, changes were comparable between the methods (mean EJVmax +68%, EJVmin +80%, EJVmean +75% vs IVCmax +58%, IVCmin +79%). Potential post-albumin volume overload occurred in most cases (POCUS 65%, CPMX2 95%).Conclusions
Both POCUS and CPMX2 detected substantial volume changes during PLR and following IV albumin. CPMX2 appeared more sensitive to dynamic changes during PLR and identified more patients with potential post-albumin volume overload, suggesting it may help individualize fluid management in decompensated cirrhosis.Impact And Implications
Intravascular volume overload after albumin infusion is a major concern in patients with decompensated cirrhosis and was observed in its most severe form in 20% of patients using POCUS-IVC (point-of-care ultrasound of the inferior vena cava). In this pilot study, we detected substantial volume shifts during passive leg raise and after albumin infusion using both POCUS-IVC and a novel external jugular vein compression technique (CPMX2) in parallel. CPMX2 appeared more sensitive to dynamic changes during passive leg raise and identified a larger proportion of patients with intravascular volume overload following intravenous albumin. These findings suggest that CPMX2 could serve as a promising non-invasive tool for early assessment and individualized monitoring of volume status in decompensated cirrhosis.
Date Issued
2026-03
Publication Type
Article
Subject(s)
Subjects
cirrhosis
•
compression
•
external jugular vein
•
inferior vena cava
•
point of care ultrasound
•
volume management
Language(s)
en
Author(s)
Journal
JHEP Reports
Publisher
Elsevier
ISSN
2589-5559
Related Collection(s)
Access(Rights)
open.access