Table 2.

Echocardiographic findings obtained by the expert intensivists (n = 100)

	Septic group	Other acute circulatory failure	P
	n = 55	n = 45
Echocardiographic patterns
Left ventricular characteristics
Global systolic function
Normal or increased	43 (78)	28 (62)	0.08
Depressed	7 (13)	6 (13)	0.93
Severely depressed	3 (5)	10 (22)	0.01
Non addressed	2 (4)	1 (2)	1.0
Cavity size
Enlarged	5 (9)	5 (11)	0.75
Normal	41 (75)	32 (71)	0.70
Reduced	6 (11)	7 (16)	0.49
Non addressed	3 (5)	1 (2)	0.62
Right ventricular characteristics
Global function
Normal	45 (82)	33 (73)	0.31
Failure	7 (13)	11 (24)	0.30
Non addressed	3 (5)	1 (2)	0.62
Cavity size
Normal	25 (45)	24 (53)	0.43
Dilated	17 (30)	15 (33)	0.79
Non addressed	13 (23)	6 (13)	0.19
End-diastolic RV/LV diameter (mean)	0.72 ± 0.21	0.80 ± 0.36	0.43
Inferior vena cava characteristics
Size
Small (≤15 mm)	26 (47)	12 (27)	0.03
Normal	18 (33)	12 (27)	0.51
Dilated (≥23 mm)	8 (15)	14 (31)	0.046
Non addressed	3 (5)	7 (15)	0.11
Respiratory variations
Inspiratory collapse	35 (64)	15 (33)	<0.01
Non addressed	3 (5)	7 (15)	0.11
Pericardial effusion	0 (0)	4 (9)	—
Non addressed	3 (5)	1 (2)	0.62
Severe valvular regurgitation	0 (0)	1 (2)	—
Non addressed	3 (5)	3 (7)	1.0
Hemodynamic profile
Hypovolemia	33 (60)	23 (51)	0.37
Left ventricular failure	10 (18)	16 (36)	0.04
Hyperdynamic left ventricle associated with vasoplegia*	17 (31)	5 (11)	0.02
Right ventricular failure	7 (13)	11 (24)	0.30
Tamponade	0 (0)	2 (4)	—
Acute massive left-sided valvular regurgitation	0 (0)	1 (2)	—
No relevant hemodynamic abnormality	8† (14)	2 (4)	0.18

Numbers between parentheses indicate percentages.

^*Associated with hypovolemia, explaining that percentages exceed 100%.

^†All in patients with sepsis.