Beat Work Index, Cardiac Power Index, and Arterial Elastance Index: a novel non-invasive approach to assessing hemodynamic status in children following cardiovascular surgery

Background: Early recognition of low cardiac output syndrome in pediatric population following cardiovascular surgery remains challenging, as conventional volumetric measures such as ejection fraction provide limited insight into the heart’s energetic ability to sustain systemic flow. This study aimed to assess the feasibility and clinical relevance of novel energetic indices—Beat Work Index (BWI), Cardiac Power Index (CPI), and Arterial Elastance Index (AEI)—for postoperative hemodynamic evaluation. Methods: In this retrospective case-control study, 92 children (0 on day 5, and intensive care unit (ICU) stay >8 days. Results: Postoperative patients showed lower BWI (0.44±0.17 vs. 0.64±0.17 J, P