Assessment of myocardial function in neonates using tissue Doppler imaging.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To measure the left and right ventricular myocardial velocities using tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) in the first 24 h of life in neonates. DESIGN: Left and right ventricular peak systolic (S'), early diastolic (E') and late diastolic (A') myocardial velocities were measured using TDI alongside standard echocardiography (including peak diastolic atrioventricular flow, E). E/E' ratio was calculated for both ventricles. SETTING: UK neonatal intensive care unit. PATIENTS 43 neonates were prospectively recruited into three groups term (n=16), preterm (30-36 weeks, n=12) and very preterm (<30 weeks, n=15). RESULTS: Myocardial velocities increased with increasing gestation. Right ventricular velocities were significantly greater than left. E/E' ratio decreased with increasing gestation. Left E/E' ratio was higher than right in each group. CONCLUSIONS: TDI is feasible in preterm neonates and enables the acquisition of myocardial velocities. With increasing gestation, higher myocardial velocities and lower E/E' ratios were found. The addition of TDI to standard neonatal echocardiography may provide additional information about cardiac function.