Impact of age, height, and body mass index on arterial diameters in infants and children: a model for predicting femoral artery diameters prior to cardiovascular procedures.
OBJECTIVE
To measure common femoral artery (CFA) diameters in infants and children referred for cardiac catheterization and investigate if CFA diameters can be predicted upon the basis of age, body mass index (BMI), and height.


METHODS
CFA diameters were measured in 84 infants and children (50 boys; age range 1- 220 months) referred for diagnostic or therapeutic cardiac interventions. Sonographic measurements were made in a supine position utilizing a 7.5-MHz linear transducer; diameters were defined as the intima to intima distance. Age was described in months and height in centimeters. The Spearman correlation coefficient (rho) was used to test the similarity of diameters between sides; the Pearson correlation coefficient (r) was used to analyze the influence of age, height, and BMI on CFA diameter.


RESULTS
Diameters of the right and left CFA were similar (rho=0.951). Age and height were highly correlated (rho=0.956), but not BMI and height (rho=0.279). The best model was CFA diameter = -0.838 + 0.031 height + 0.046 BMI. Height was the most relevant determinant for CFA diameter (p<0.0001, 90% CI 0.027 to 0.036; BMI: p=0.093, 90% CI 0.001 to 0.090, and the intercept: p=0.032, 90% CI-1.475 to-0.200).


CONCLUSIONS
Common femoral artery diameter can be sufficiently predicted from height and BMI of infants and children prior to femoral catheterization or surgical reconstruction.
Department of Angiology, Biometry and Epidemiology, University of Essen, Germany. knut.kroeger@uni-essen.de
Knut
K
Kröger
Jens
J
Nettelrodt
Carsten
C
Müntsches
Ulrich
U
Neudorf
Astrid
A
Feuersenger
Gottfried
G
Rudofsky
Achim-Andreas
AA
Schmalz
D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D001827:Body Height; D015992:Body Mass Index; D006328:Cardiac Catheterization; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005263:Femoral Artery / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012016:Reference Values; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D014463:Ultrasonography