Evaluation of the estimated continuous cardiac output monitoring system in adults and children undergoing kidney transplant surgery: a pilot study

Evaluation of the estimated continuous cardiac output (esCCO) allows non-invasive and continuous assessment of cardiac output. However, the applicability of this approach in children has not been assessed thus far. We compared the correlation coefficient, bias, standard deviation (SD), and the lower and upper 95 % limits of agreement for esCCO and dye densitography-cardiac output (DDG-CO) measurements by pulse dye densitometry (PDD) in adults and children. On the basis of these assessments, we aimed to examine whether esCCO can be used in pediatric patients. DDG-CO was measured by pulse dye densitometry (PDD) using indocyanine green. Modified-pulse wave transit time, obtained using pulse oximetry and electrocardiography, was used to measure esCCO. Correlations between DDG-CO and esCCO in adults and children were analyzed using regression analysis with the least squares method. Differences between the two correlation coefficients were statistically analyzed using a correlation coefficient test. Bland-Altman plots were used to evaluate bias and SD for DDG-CO and esCCO in both adults and children, and 95 % limits of agreement (bias +/- 1.96 SD) and percentage error (1.96 SD/mean DDG-CO) were calculated and compared. The average age of the adult patients (n = 10) was 39.3 +/- 12.1 years, while the average age of the pediatric patients (n = 7) was 9.4 +/- 3.1 years (p < 0.001). For adults, the correlation coefficient was 0.756; bias, -0.258 L/min; SD, 1.583 L/min; lower and upper 95 % limits of agreement for DDG-CO and esCCO, -3.360 and 2.844 L/min, respectively; and percentage error, 42.7 %. For children, the corresponding values were 0.904; -0.270; 0.908; -2.051 and 1.510 L/min, respectively; and 35.7 %. Due to the high percentage error values, we could not establish a correlation between esCCO and DDG-CO. However, the 95 % limits of agreement and percentage error were better in children than in adults. Due to the high percentage error, we could not confirm a correlation between esCCO and DDG-CO. However, the agreement between esCCO and DDG-CO seems to be higher in children than in adults. These results suggest that esCCO can also be used in children. Future studies with bigger study populations will be required to further investigate these conclusions.