IntroductionVenous oxygen saturation is a clinical tool which integrates the whole body oxygen uptake-to-delivery (VO 2 -DO 2 ) relationship. In the clinical setting, in the absence of pulmonary artery catheter (PAC)-derived mixed venous oxygen saturation (SvO 2 ), the central venous oxygen saturation (ScvO 2 ) is increasingly being used as a reasonably accurate surrogate [1]. Central venous catheters (CVCs) are simpler to insert, and generally safer and cheaper than PACs. Th e CVC allows sampling of blood for measurement of ScvO 2 or even continuous monitoring if an oximetry catheter is being used. Th e normal range for SvO 2 is 68 to 77% and ScvO 2 is considered to be 5% above these values [2].A decrease in hemoglobin (Hb, g/dl) is likely to be associated with a decrease in DO 2 when cardiac output (CO) remains unchanged, since DO 2 = CO x CaO 2 , where CaO 2 is arterial oxygen content and is ≈ Hb × SaO 2 x 1.34 (where SaO 2 is the arterial oxygen saturation in%; and 1.34 is the oxygen-carrying capacity of Hb in mlO 2 /g Hb), when one ignores the negligible oxygen not bound to Hb [1]. A decrease in Hb is one of the four determinants responsible for a decrease in SvO 2 (or ScvO 2 ), alone or in combination with hypoxemia (decrease in SaO 2 ), an increase in VO 2 without a concomitant increase in DO 2 , or a fall in cardiac output.When Because it integrates Hb, cardiac output, VO 2 and SaO 2 , the venous oxygen saturation therefore helps to assess the VO 2 -DO 2 relationship and tolerance to anemia during blood loss.
Venous oxygen saturation as a physiologic transfusion triggerWhen DO 2 decreases beyond a certain threshold, it induces a decrease in VO 2 . Th is point is known as the critical DO 2 (DO 2 crit), below which there is a state of VO 2 -DO 2 dependency also called tissue dysoxia. In humans, dysoxia is usually present when SvO 2 falls below a critical 40-50% (SvO 2 crit); this may, however, also occur at higher levels of SvO 2 when O 2 ER is impaired. Usually eff orts in correcting cardiac output (by fl uids or inotropes), and/or Hb and/or SaO 2 and/or VO 2 must target a return of SvO 2 (ScvO 2 ) from 50 to 65-70% [4]. In sedated critically ill patients in whom life support was discontinued, the DO 2 crit was found to be approximately 3.8 to 4.5 mlO 2 /kg/min for a VO 2 of about 2.4 mlO 2 /g/ min; O 2 ER reached an O 2 ERcrit of 60% [5] with SvO 2 crit being ≈ 40%.In a landmark study by Rivers et al. [6], patients admitted to an emergency department with severe sepsis and septic shock were randomized to standard therapy (aiming for a central venous pressure [CVP] of 8-12 mmHg, mean arterial pressure (MAP) ≥ 65 mmHg, and urine output ≥ 0.5 ml/kg/h) or to early goal-directed therapy where, in addition to the previous parameters, an ScvO 2 of at least 70% was targeted by optimizing fl uid administration, keeping hematocrit ≥ 30%, and/or giving dobutamine to a maximum of 20 μg/kg/min. Th e initial ScvO 2 in both groups was low (49 ± 12%), suggesting a hypodynamic condition before resuscitation was started.