©2006 Microlife USA, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Microlife, MedGem, and BalanceLog are trademarks of Microlife, Inc.
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Frequently Asked Questions (cont.)
_______________________________________________________
Why is CO
2
(Carbon Dioxide) not measured?
The intended use of MedGem is for measuring oxygen consumption and determining RMR. RMR can be
accurately determined from VO
2
alone without the need for measurement of CO
2
.
How does the MedGem handle RQ?
The MedGem measures VO
2
consumption and calculates RMR based on a constant RQ of 0.85. This is
accomplished without measurement of CO
2
production. Under both normal and pathophysiologic conditions,
it is extremely rare for a person to have a true metabolic RQ outside the range of 0.75 to 0.95. Within this
range of RQ’s, the use of a constant RQ of 0.85 has a maximum error of ± 2.3%.
I did two MedGem measurements and I got different results. Why?
RMR can vary each day and even within the same day. Fever, illness or stress may result in a varying
metabolic rate, which is why frequent measurement is recommended in patients in clinical settings.
Monitoring changes in metabolic rate provides a more accurate means of assessing nutritional needs for
better patient outcome. Make sure that measurements are performed under similar conditions. Make sure
that your patient relaxes and breathes normally during the measurement.
What does the RMR reading on the MedGem mean?
This kilocalorie (kcal/day) number represents the resting metabolic rate (RMR), or the number of calories the
body burns each day at rest. (RMR is also referred to as resting energy expenditure, or REE). RMR can
represent up to 100% of total metabolism in the acute patient. The measurement captured by the MedGem
accounts for stress and/or injury factors because VO
2
is being measured, not calculated from a formula.
Typically, hospitalized patients have a low level of activity, thus RMR represents the majority of the total
metabolism and provides the basis for accurate nutritional assessment. The VO
2
and RMR measurement
provided by the MedGem will help you accurately determine patient nutritional need and monitor changes in
metabolism that may impact nutritional adjustments on a regular basis.
Who can use the MedGem?
Any clinician monitoring patient nutritional needs, including dietitians, diet technicians, respiratory therapists,
technicians, nurses and physicians can benefit by using MedGem on their patients for more accurate
assessment of nutritional needs.
What types of patients will benefit from having their oxygen consumption measured?
There are many types of patients who can benefit from having their oxygen consumption measured to
determine RMR. Examples include patients at risk for diabetes; patients with a diagnosis of diabetes, COPD,
cancer, cardiovascular and renal patients; overweight and obese patients; all patients requiring a nutritional
assessment; burn patients; and geriatric patients. Understanding individual nutritional needs typically results
in greater control by the patient and better patient outcomes.
How long does it take to get a measurement result?
It takes between 5–10 minutes to get a result. Measurement time will vary depending on the time it takes for
each patient to reach a steady state of breathing.
