TY - JOUR AU - Marik, Paul E. PY - 2002 DA - 2002/12/20 TI - The optimal endpoint of resuscitation in trauma patients JO - Critical Care SP - 19 VL - 7 IS - 1 AB - Although it has never been prospectively validated, the base excess (BE) is regarded as the standard end-point of resuscitation in trauma patients. In a rat hemorrhage model, in this edition of Critical Care, Totapally and colleagues demonstrate that the BE is an insensitive and slowly responsive indicator of changes in intravascular volume. This contrasts with changes in the esophageal-arterial carbon dioxide gap which more closely followed changes in blood volume. Esophageal or sublingual capnometry may prove to be a useful tool for monitoring the adequacy of resuscitation in trauma victims. SN - 1364-8535 UR - https://doi.org/10.1186/cc1862 DO - 10.1186/cc1862 ID - Marik2002 ER -