The Journal of pediatrics
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The Journal of pediatrics · Jan 1978
Comparative StudyCardiac output measured by thermodilution in infants and children.
To determine the accuracy and reproducibility of cardiac output determination by thermodilution (COT) in children, simultaneous outputs were measured by the Fick technique (COF) (using measured oxygen consumption) and thermodilution in 26 children, ranging in age from 8 to 86 months, who were undergoing cardiac catheterization. There was excellent correlation between mean output by thermodilution and by the Fick technique: COT = 1.10 COF -- 0.2 l/minute, R = 0.91. ⋯ Serial values of thermodilution outputs were reproducible in each patient with a SD of 5.5%. Our observations indicate that COT is accurate, reproducible, and valuable in the care of critically ill infants and children.