Total respiratory compliance in infants and young children with congenital heart disease

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Abstract
The multiple occlusion technique was used to measure total respiratory system compliance (Crs) in 62 infants and young children with congential heart disease (age range, 2 days to 2 years). Measurements were found to be reproducible in nine infants in whom repeat measurements were possible (maximum deviation between measurements < 10%). The incidence of failure to obtain accurate results was no greater than when studying infants without cardiopulmonary disease. However, in the presence of severe growth retardation or alinearity of volume-pressure data, results may be difficult to interpret in individuals. Results of Crs were related to non-invasive assessments of cardiac disease severity using chest radiography and echocardiography. After the effects of growth had been taken into account, a significant negative relationship was found between Crs and the right pulmonary artery to aortic ratio, which reflects pulmonary vascular engorgement (P = 0.003, R2 = −0.40). However, no significant relationship was found between Crs and chest X-ray score (P = 0.27). Pediatr Pulmonol 1990; 8:155-161.