AUTHOR=Xu Jing , Zhong Ming , Liu Di , Guan Jiayi , Qi Xiaoling , Tan Ruoming , Li Pengcheng , Zhao Zhanqi , Qu Hongping , Liu Jialin 

TITLE=A modified CO-related EIT parameter was used to evaluate pulmonary ventilation-perfusion ratio during prone position and inhaled nitric oxide therapy: a case report

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Medicine

VOLUME=Volume 12 - 2025

YEAR=2025

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/medicine/articles/10.3389/fmed.2025.1598248

DOI=10.3389/fmed.2025.1598248

ISSN=2296-858X

ABSTRACT=IntroductionAssessment of the V/Q ratio is crucial for understanding the pathophysiology of iNO therapy and prone position in ARDS patients. Recently, the concept of the absolute V/Q ratio measured by EIT has emerged. In this study, we first describe a case where a modified EIT parameter was employed to clinically monitor the absolute V/Q ratio in an ARDS patient during both prone positioning and iNO therapy.Case presentationThis report describes the case of a 69-year-old ARDS patient with refractory hypoxemia who underwent prone position and iNO therapy. The patient exhibited a positive response to the treatment, showing improved oxygenation and absolute V/Q. A modified EIT-derived parameter, the cardiac output (CO)-related V/Q match index, was utilized to evaluate the absolute V/Q ratio, demonstrating improved consistency with the oxygenation index compared to conventional indicators.ConclusionThis case elucidates the significance of the EIT-derived parameter—CO-related V/Q match index, revealing its benefits in evaluating the V/Q ratio under the various treatment strategies when compared to traditional ones.