Myocardial tissue velocities in neonates.
BACKGROUND
Tissue Doppler echocardiography (TDE) has been applied to the children age group; however, myocardial tissue velocities of neonates have been reported by few researchers.


METHODS
Myocardial velocities along the longitudinal axis of the left ventricle were measured in two groups: 50 term neonates within 5 days after birth and 54 healthy children by TDE. Sample volumes were placed in mitral lateral annulus (MLA), mitral medial annulus (MMA), and in the basal and middle parts of the left ventricular lateral wall (LVLW) and interventricular septum (IVS).


RESULTS
The highest myocardial velocities were obtained from MLA. In all segments, the mean systolic velocity (Sw) was found significantly lower than the mean early diastolic (Ew) and atrial systolic velocities (Aw) (P < 0.0001). The mean Aw was the dominant component in the MMA and were significantly higher than Ew (P < 0.001). The mean Ew/Aw in the MMA and MLA increased significantly while replacing the Doppler beam from base to apex. TDE indexes of neonates, except Aw obtained from MLA and MMA, were significantly lower than that of children group (P < 0.0001 and P < 0.0001, respectively). The mean E/Ew ratio of the left ventricle in neonates was found to be significantly higher than that found in children group (P < 0.0001).


CONCLUSIONS
In neonates, the diastolic and systolic myocardial velocities of the left ventricle were significantly lower than those measured in the children group. Decreased myocardial tissue values of neonates might be reflecting the immaturity of neonatal myocardium.
Ekici
Filiz
F
Department of Pediatric Cardiology, School of Medicine, University of Ankara, Ankara, Turkey.
Atalay
Semra
S
Ozcelik
Nazire
N
Uçar
Tayfun
T
Yilmaz
Erdal
E
Tutar
Ercan
E
D000293:Adolescent; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler; D006321:Heart / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008943:Mitral Valve / Q000502:physiology; D012016:Reference Values; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left