title: Echocardiography in cystic fibrosis.
abstract: Echocardiograms were obtained for 25 patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) and 20 controls to evaluate this technique as a means of assessment of right ventricular changes in patients with CF. Right ventricular anterior wall thickness per square meter of body surface (RVAW/sq m) and right ventricular internal dimension per square meter of body surface (RVID/sq m) were compared with other techniques for detection of cor pulmonale. Significant correlations existed between both RVAW/sq m and RVID/sq m and the forced vital capacity, forced expiratory volume in one second, midmaximal expiratory flow rate, clinical score of severity of disease, and roentgenographic score of pulmonary involvement. The RVAW/sq m was slightly more sensitive than RVID/sq m; RVAW/sq m thickness on echocardiogram in vivo compared well with actual measurements at autopsy in five patients. No correlations were found between echocardiography and electrocardiograms, vectorcardiograms, thoracic index, or cardiothoracic ratio.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D003550:Cystic Fibrosis / Q000150:complications*; D004452:Echocardiography; D004562:Electrocardiography; D006801:Humans; D011660:Pulmonary Heart Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D014672:Vectorcardiography