Cardiac output and blood volume parameters using femoral arterial thermodilution.
BACKGROUND
The pulse-induced continuous cardiac output (PiCCO) system is a less invasive method than pulmonary thermodilution for the measurement of cardiac output and estimating blood volume parameters. The normal values in children have not been defined. The purpose of the present paper was therefore to evaluate cardiac output and parameters of blood volume using femoral arterial thermodilution in critically ill children.


METHODS
A prospective study was performed in 17 critically ill children aged between 2 months and 14 years. Two measurements were taken for each determination of cardiac output, global end diastolic volume (GEDVI), intrathoracic blood volume index (ITBI), extravascular lung water index (ELWI), systolic volume index (SVI), stroke volume variation (SVV), cardiac function index (CFI), left ventricular contractility (dp/dt max), and the systemic vascular resistance index (SVRI).


RESULTS
One hundred and seventeen measurements were performed. The mean cardiac index (CI) was 3.5 +/- 1.3 L/min per m(2). The GEDVI (399.7 +/- 349.1 mL/m(2)), ITBI (574.5 +/- 212.2 mL/m(2)) and dp/dt max (804.6 +/- 372.1 mmHg/s) were lower than reported in adults, whereas ELWI (18.9 +/- 9.3 mL/m2) and CFI (8 +/- 2.5 L/min) where higher. The GEDVI, SVI, dp/dt max and CI increased with the weight of the patients whereas the ELWI values decreased.


CONCLUSIONS
Femoral arterial thermodilution is a suitable technique for the measurement of cardiac output in critically ill children. The intrathoracic and intracardiac volumes are lower than in adults, whereas extrapulmonary water is higher; these values are related to the weight of the patient.
López-Herce
Jesús
J
Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Gregorio Marañón General University Hospital, Madrid, Spain. pielvi@ya.com
Bustinza
Amaya
A
Sancho
Luis
L
Mencía
Santiago
S
Carrillo
Angel
A
Moral
Ramón
R
Bellón
Jose María
JM
D000293:Adolescent; D001811:Blood Volume Determination / Q000379:methods*; D002302:Cardiac Output / Q000502:physiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016638:Critical Illness; D005263:Femoral Artery; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013815:Thermodilution / Q000379:methods*