Effective pulmonary blood flow in normal children at rest

Abstract

Effective pulmonary blood flow was measured with a soluble inert gas uptake method (10% argon, 3 5% freon-22, 35% oxygen, balance nitrogen) in 98 apparently healthy childred aged 5- 14 years. None had any evidence of cardiorespiratory disease and all had normal values for absolute and dynamic lung volumes and transfer factor for carbon monoxide. Values of blood flow measured by a rebreathing method correlated reasonably closely with height, weight, body surface area, and lung volumes, and to a lesser extent with hand and foot size. The mean (SD) effective pulmonary blood flow index was 2 7 (0 3l)I1 min-m2. Small children found a single breath method of measuring flow more difficult to perform and the results were more variable.