Effect of Funnel Chest on Cardiac Function

To the Editor: Although I agree with Dr. Beiser's findings (N Engl J Med 287:267–272, 1972) I should like to take issue with his Statement that “no consistent hemodynamic abnormalities have been identified” in patients with pectus excavatum. At least two previous reports in the literature¹, 2 came essentially to the same conclusions as Dr. Beiser — namely, that the stroke volume of many patients with pectus excavatum is abnormally low during exercise in the sitting position, but normal during exercise in the supine position. In addition, one finds in these two articles a report on a noninvasive technic used to.