title: Pulsed Doppler measurement of left ventricular output as early predictor of symptomatic patent ductus arteriosus in very preterm infants.
abstract: High left ventricular output (LVO) values are associated with symptomatic left-to-right ductal shunting in preterm infants. However, LVO data prior to the occurrence of symptomatic patent ductus arteriosus (SPDA) are lacking. To determine whether serial measurements could predict a SPDA, we measured LVO from day 1 until day 10 with pulsed Doppler echocardiography in 25 preterm infants with birth weights of less than 1,250 g and hematocrits of more than 0.40. Eleven infants never developed patent ductus arteriosus symptoms and had LVO values within the normal range (190-310 ml/min/kg) with only minimal daily variations. The remaining 14 infants developed SPDA which required treatment with indomethacin, ductal ligation, or fluid restriction on days 2-5. From day 1 until day 5 their mean LVO values were significantly higher compared to the group without left-to-right ductal shunt and this increase was secondary to higher stroke volume values. An increase in LVO of more than 60 ml/min/kg consistently preceded SPDA by at least 24 h. Serial measurements of LVO using a single-pulsed Doppler approach can be used for early prediction of SPDA.
authors: Department of Pediatrics, University of Southern California School of Medicine, Los Angeles.
authors: F J
authors: FJ
authors: Walther
authors: D H
authors: DH
authors: Kim
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Ebrahimi
authors: B
authors: B
authors: Siassi
mesh_terms: D001724:Birth Weight; D002302:Cardiac Output; D004374:Ductus Arteriosus, Patent / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D008297:Male