Maturational and Growth-Related Changes in Left Ventricular Longitudinal Strain and Strain Rate Measured by Two-Dimensional Speckle Tracking Echocardiography in Healthy Pediatric Population

Steven M. Lorch, Achiau Ludomirsky, Gautam K. Singh

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

130 Scopus citations

Abstract

Objective: We aimed to evaluate myocardial strain and strain rate (SR) by novel 2-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography in a large pediatric cohort (1) to establish their normal values and (2) to discern the influence of maturation and cardiac growth on them. Methods: Echocardiograms of 284 consecutive subjects of a healthy pediatric cohort aged between birth and 18 years were analyzed by vector velocity imaging software to measure longitudinal systolic strain (ε) and systolic and diastolic SR in left ventricular septal and lateral segments. Regression analysis was performed to determine the effect of aging and cardiac growth on ε and SR. Results: Longitudinal ε (septal -18.30% ± 6.67% and lateral -20.68% ± 8.08%) did not change significantly with maturation and declining heart rate from birth to 18 years. Systolic and early diastolic SR declined until age 5 to 10 years. Longitudinal ε significantly (P < .05) correlated with left ventricular growth. Conclusion: This study establishes reference values for longitudinal ε and SR and reveals that ε is relatively independent of maturational changes, lending it as a tool for cardiac evaluation across differing ages in pediatric subjects.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1207-1215
Number of pages9
JournalJournal of the American Society of Echocardiography
Volume21
Issue number11
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 2008

Keywords

  • Maturational changes in left ventricular function
  • Myocardial strain
  • Myocardial velocity
  • Pediatric population
  • Speckle tracking echocardiography
  • Strain rate
  • Velocity vector imaging

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