STROKE VOLUME AND RELATED HEMODYNAMIC DATA IN NORMAL CHILDREN
1. Catheterization data on 21 children between the ages of 6 and 16 years with no demonstrable hemodynamic abnormality were analyzed in order to establish normal values for blood flow in children. 2. The findings are: (a) Body surface area is a reliable standard of size for predicting cardiac output, stroke volume, and oxygen pulse. (b) Stroke volume is less variable than cardiac output or oxygen pulse since it is less affected at rest by minor variance from the basal state. (c) Cardiac index of 4.1 1/min/ m2 is valid within the surface area range of 0.7 to 1.2 m2. (d) Stroke index of 42 ml/beat/ m2 is valid within a surface area range of 0.7 to 1.5 m2. 3. Oxygen pulse is proposed as a sensitive index of the variance from basal state and as a useful flow measure for outpatient cardiac function studies. 4. A nomogram is presented for predicting cardiac output, stroke volume, and oxygen pulse from surface area.