Patient selection: pediatric patients from 0 to 20 years
Parameters:
(1) length of the thoracic aorta in meters
(2) transit time in seconds for thoracic blood flow from the aortic valve to the diaphragm using pulsed Doppler recordings with the concurrent ECG providing the time reference
length of the thoracic aorta in cm =
= (0.1 * (height in cm)) + 1.7
length of the thoracic aorta in meters =
= (length in cm) / 100
The transit time was the difference in time between:
(1) the onset of flow at the aortic valve
(2) the arrival of flow at the diaphragm
thoracic aortic pulse wave velocity in meters per second =
= (length of the thoracic aorta in meters) / (transit time in seconds)
Interpretation:
• The thoracic aortic pulse wave velocity has a median value of 3.04 m/s (range 1.8 to 4.9) and is independent of age.
