Validity of echocardiographic estimates of left ventricular size and performance in infants and children. Issue 4 (April 1975)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kaye, H H; Tynan, M; Hunter, S
• Is Part Of: Heart. Volume 37:Issue 4(1975)
• Page Start: 371
• Page End: 375
• Publication Date: 1975-04
• Subjects: Heart -- Diseases -- Treatment -- Periodicals; Cardiology -- Periodicals; 616.12
• DOI: 10.1136/hrt.37.4.371
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1355-6037

Abstract

Abstract : Echocardiography has been shown to be a reliable method for estimating left ventricular size and function in adults, but little attention has been paid to its application to infants and children. This paper describes a validatory study in 40 children aged between 4 days and 16 years. There was a significant correlation between angiocardiographic and echocardiographic estimates of left ventricular end-diastolic volume (r=0.76), left ventricular end-systolic volume (r=0.68), and ejection fraction (r=0.73). Left ventricular mean circumferential shortening rate (mean Vcf), however, gave the mostsignificant correlation (r=0.91). These findings indicate that while care must be exercised in interpreting indices of left ventricular size and performance derived from echocardiography, these measurements, and in particular mean Vcf, do offer a useful and reliable means of assessing left ventricular function in infants and children.