Percentile curves of normal values of echocardiographic measurements in normal children from the central-southern region of the State of São Paulo, Brazil.
OBJECTIVE
To asses the values of echocardiographic measurements in normal children without cardiopathy and to build percentile curves, relating them to the body surface (BS, m(2)).


METHODS
We analyzed M-mode echocardiographic measurements for children between one and 144 months of age. We assessed right ventricular diastolic diameter (RVDd, mm) and left ventricular diastolic diameter (LVDd, mm), LV systolic diameter (LVSd, mm), right ventricular outflow tract diameter (RVOT, mm), aortic diameter (AoD, mm) and left atrial diameter (LAD, mm); left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF, %); percentage of variation of left ventricular diameter (deltaLV, %); interventricular septum diastolic thickness (IVSDT, mm) and LV posterior wall diastolic thickness (PWDT, mm); left ventricular mass (LVM, g) and LV mass index (LVMI, g/m(2)).


RESULTS
At the end of the study, 595 children (326 male) were assessed. The values of echocardiographic measurements showed a good correlation with BS and allowed the constructing of percentile curves (3%, 25%, 50%, 75% and 97%). Statistically significant differences between the genders were evidenced for the following variables: LVSd, LVDd, RVOT, AoD, LVM and LVMI, and the highest values were observed in male children.


CONCLUSIONS
The percentile curves of the values obtained can be used as a reference to assess children with suspicion of cardiopathy or to follow-up on those with diagnosed cardiopathy or under treatment with potentially cardiotoxic drugs.
Bonatto
Rossano César
RC
Faculdade de Medicina de Botucatu, Universidade Estadual de São Paulo, UNESP, Botucatu, SP, Brazil. rbonatto@fmb.unesp.br
Fioretto
José Roberto
JR
Okoshi
Katashi
K
Matsubara
Beatriz Bojikian
BB
Padovani
Carlos Roberto
CR
Manfrin
Thiago Colletti Remond
TC
Gobbi
Michelle de Farias
Mde F
Martino
Rodolfo Silva De
RS
Bregagnollo
Edson Antônio
EA
D000293:Adolescent; D001830:Body Surface Area; D001938:Brazil; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D012016:Reference Values; D012044:Regression Analysis