title: [Application of ultrasonic cardiac output monitor in evaluation of cardiac function in children with severe pneumonia].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the clinical application of ultrasonic cardiac output monitor (USCOM) in evaluation of cardiac function in children with severe pneumonia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-nine children with severe pneumonia were enrolled in the observation group and forty-three children with common pneumonia were enrolled in the control group. The USCOM was used to measure the cardiac function indices in the two groups. The results were compared between the two groups. The changes in cardiac function indices after treatment were evaluated in the observation group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The observation group had a significantly higher heart rate and significantly lower cardiac output, systolic volume, and aortic peak velocity than the control group (P<0.05). There were no significant differences in cardiac index or systemic vascular resistance between the two groups (P>0.05). In the observation group, the heart rate, cardiac output, systolic volume, aortic peak velocity, cardiac index, and systemic vascular resistance were significantly improved after treatment (P<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The USCOM is a fast, convenient, and accurate approach for dynamic measurement of cardiac function and overall circulation state in children with severe pneumonia. The USCOM can provide a basis for diagnosis, treatment, and evaluation of the disease, which is quite useful in clinical practice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Sichuan Academy of Medical Science/Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, Chengdu 610072, China. fanjuan513@163.com.
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: Zhi-Ying
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Peng-Yuan
authors.initials: PY
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Chang-Hui
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D002302:Cardiac Output / Q000502:physiology*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000295:instrumentation*; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014465:Ultrasonics