title: Echocardiographic estimate of left atrial pressure in children.
abstract: Echocardiographic estimates of left atrial pressure (LAP) using the Q-C/A2-E ratio were obtained from 40 patients and compared with directly recorded mean LAP and/or pulmonary wedge pressure (PWP). The best correlation was obtained between LAP and the Q-C/A2-E (gamma = 0.95, P < 0.01); a good one between PWP and the Q-C/A2-E in normal and moderate pulmonary hypertension (gamma = 0.82, P < 0.01), but a poor one in severe pulmonary hypertension (gamma = 0.61, P > 0.05). Consequently, echocardiography provides a useful noninvasive method for the estimation of the LAP and PWP, particularly appropriate for children Intensive Care Unit.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical University, Wuhan.
authors.forename: H W
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: P X
authors.initials: PX
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: S Y
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Gao
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D016275:Atrial Function; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011312:Pressure; D011669:Pulmonary Wedge Pressure