Longitudinal strain vs. conventional echocardiographic parameters in the first week of life in healthy term newborns

Peček, Jerneja (author), Koželj, Mirta (author), Fister, Petja (author)

The first week of life is characterized by substantial alterations in hemodynamic conditions. Changes in myocardial contractility will reflect these changes. We aimed to assess right and left ventricular function on the third and seventh days of life in 50 healthy term newborns. To assess myocardial function, we used speckle tracking echocardiography. Pulsed-wave tissue Doppler imaging, M-mode, Doppler and pulsed-wave Doppler were also used to assess ventricular function. We found a significant increase in both right and left longitudinal strain and an increase in systolic and diastolic tissue Doppler velocities, whereas most other parameters remained unchanged. At both time points, the measured parameters were significantly greater for the right ventricle, but the changes with time were similar for both ventricles. We also found an increase in right ventricular outflow tract acceleration time as an indirect sign of decreasing pulmonary vascular resistance and an increase in systolic blood pressure, pointing to increasing systemic vascular resistance. Together with a decreasing proportion of patients with patent ductus arteriosus, the estimated left ventricular cardiac output decreased and right ventricular cardiac output increased but not to a statistically significant degree. In conclusion, the results of our study show how different echocardiographic techniques capture hemodynamic changes and changes in myocardial contractility and compliance. Both longitudinal strain and tissue Doppler imaging parameters seem to offer greater sensitivity in comparison with conventional echocardiographic parameters.

• Language: English
• Keywords: echocardiography, longitudinal strain, newborn, speckle tracking
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: MF - Faculty of Medicine
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2024
• Number of pages: Str. 32–39
• Numbering: Vol. 45, iss. 1
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-154830
• UDC: 61
• ISSN on article: 1432-1971
• DOI: 10.1007/s00246-023-03291-x
• COBISS.SI-ID: 186812419
• Publication date in RUL: 05.03.2024

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Pediatric cardiology
• Shortened title: Pediatr. cardiol.
• Publisher: Springer Nature, Pediatric and Congenital Interventional Cardiovascular Society
• ISSN: 1432-1971
• COBISS.SI-ID: 512031257

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• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.