Internal Jugular Vein Height and Inferior Vena Cava Diameter Measurement using Ultrasound to Determine Central Venous Pressure: A Correlation Study.

OBJECTIVE To determine the correlation between central venous pressure (CVP) measured by conventional central venous access and ultrasonographic measurement of internal jugular vein (IJV) height and inferior vena cava (IVC) diameter. METHODS A prospective, cross-sectional, convenience sampling observational study. RESULTS 25 patients from the Emergency Department (ED) Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre (UKMMC) were studied between 1st March and 30th April 2013. The median age was 63 years (95% CI 54-67). There was a significant correlation between IJV height and CVP using central venous access (r=0.64 p<0.001). Correlation between IVC diameter in end expiration and CVP was 0.74 (p<0.001). An IJV height measurement >8cm predicted a CVP >8cm H2O (sensitivity 71.4%, specificity of 83.3%). CONCLUSION Measurement of IJV height and IVC diameter by ultrasonography correlates well with invasive CVP and is useful for the assessment of volume status in critically ill patients in the ED.