Plasma and Blood Volume Studies in Healthy Children

Abstract

Summary: Plasma and total blood volumes of 68 healthy Nigerian children, aged 1 day to 12 years, were determined by the dye haematocrit technique using Evan's blue (T 1824). The average plasma and total blood volumes in ml/kg body weight were 48.1 and 79.9, respectively. Total plasma and total blood volumes for both sexes increased steadily with age, but there was a more rapid increase during the first 4 years of life than during later ages. Compared with height and surface area, weight was the best correlative factor for the prediction of blood volume. The results were comparable with those in children elsewhere.