title: Evaluation of cardiac functions in term small for gestational age newborns with mild growth retardation: a serial conventional and tissue Doppler imaging echocardiographic study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study is to evaluate the cardiac functions of term small for gestational age (SGA) babies with mild growth retardation by echocardiography during the postnatal period.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty term SGA (2271±207 g/38-41 weeks (mean 39.5 weeks)) and 30 term AGA (3298±338 g/38-41 weeks (mean 39 weeks)) newborns as the control group, with normal general health status and with no nutritional problems were evaluated at three time points, on the 3rd postnatal day, at the 3rd and the 6th months. In the initial analysis, heart rate, left ventricular end diastolic diameter index (LVEdDI), cardiac index (CI), all E/A, Em/Am and E/Em ratios, pulsed wave Doppler myocardial performance index (MPI), and tissue Doppler imaging MPI values were higher in SGA babies than the control group. In the last analysis, only heart rate, LVEdDI and CI values were different between SGA and control groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Systolic and diastolic cardiac dysfunctions were determined in SGA babies with mild growth retardation during the first 6 months of postnatal period. Any disease that affects the hemodynamic stability of these patients during postnatal period may lead to early progressive deterioration in cardiac functions. Furthermore, many of the cardiac functions of these babies have been improved about the 6th month period, and high levels of heart rate and LVEdDI may be suggested as an indicator of cardiac remodeling.
authors.affiliation: Necmettin Erbakan University, Meram School of Medicine Hospital, Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Konya, Turkey. dr.hakanaltin@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Hakan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Altın
authors.forename: Sevim
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Karaarslan
authors.forename: Zehra
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Karataş
authors.forename: Hayrullah
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Alp
authors.forename: Fatih
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Şap
authors.forename: Tamer
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Baysal
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004452:Echocardiography; D018619:Echocardiography, Doppler, Pulsed; D005260:Female; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006321:Heart / Q000196:embryology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007236:Infant, Small for Gestational Age; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy