Noninvasive blood pressure measurement in the upper and lower limbs of anaesthetized children

A group of 50 children, aged 5 months to 15 years, and who were undergoing routine surgery under general anaesthesia, were studied to investigate the difference in noninvasive blood pressure readings obtained from inflatable cuffs placed on the upper arm and the lower leg. In contrast to adult data, it was found that the brood pressure measured from the leg in children age d 8 years and under, was significantly lower than that measured from the ar m. The leg cuff measurements could not, however, be reliably used to predic t arm blood pressure.