To access publisher's full text version of this article, please click on the hyperlink in Additional Links field or click on the hyperlink at the top of the page marked DownloadBackground: Haemodynamic studies in children are rare and most studies have included few subjects in the youngest age group. Haemodynamic variables need to be indexed to establish a reference of normality that is valid in all populations. The traditional way to index haemodynamic variables with body surface area (BSA) is complicated in young children due to its non-linear relationship with body weight (BW). We examined several haemodynamic variables in children by indexing them with BSA and BW.
Methods: A single-centre, observational cohort study comparing non-indexed and indexed haemodynamic variables in children undergoing heart surgery (divided into three weight groups: 1-5 kg, >5-10 kg and >10-15 kg).
Results: A total of 68 children were included in this study, mean age 11.1 months ± 11.1 month (range 0 to 43 months). All haemodynamic variables, cardiac output (CO), stroke volume (SV), total end-diastolic volume (TEDV), central blood volume (CBV) and active circulation volume (ACV), increased with weight without indexing (P < .05). Indexing variables with BW produced a more linear relationship for all haemodynamic variables between weight groups than BSA. The mean BSA-indexed haemodynamic values were CIBSA 3.5 ± 1.1 L/min/m2 and SVIBSA 27.3 ± 8.9 ml/min/m2 . The mean BW-indexed haemodynamic values were CIBW 180 ± 50 ml/min/kg and SVIBW 1.34 ± 0.38 ml/kg. Blood volume variables indexed with BW were TEDVBW 12.0 ± 2.8 ml/kg, CBVBW 21.3 ± 6.6 ml/kg and ACVBW 70.3 ± 15.2 ml/kg.
Conclusions: Indexing haemodynamic variables with BW produces a more appropriate body size-independent scale in young children than BSA.
Summary statement: In this study, we studied indexing of haemodynamic variables and estimation of blood volumes in young children undergoing corrective heart surgery using an indicator dilution technology.
Keywords: blood volume; body surface area; body weight; cardiac output; children; indexing.Anna & Edwin Berger's Foundation (Lidingo, Sweden)
Swedish Children Heart Association (Stockholm, Sweden
