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Doppler Flow Parameters of Left Ventricular Filling in Infants: How Long Does It Take for the Maturation of the Diastolic Function in a Normal Left Ventricle to Occur?

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Abstract

Objective

To study the impact of the maturational process of diastolic left ventricular function on trans-mitral Doppler flow parameters.

Methods and Participants

In a survey we examined pulsed-wave Doppler signals and diastolic time intervals from 238 healthy neonates and infants. Using multiple linear regression analysis, we evaluated the impact of physiological determinants on parameter expression.

Results

Early-filling and atrial-filling peak velocities, early-filling acceleration and deceleration rates, and the atrial-filling time velocity integral reached a climax within 2 months after birth, while early-filling time velocity integral followed increasing throughout the study period. The isovolumic relaxation time was found to be significantly longer for neonates than for infants older than 2 months. The observed parameter movements could be attributed to changes of stroke volume and mitral valve area for early filling-time velocity integral (R2 = 0.93), and of heart rate, stroke volume, and mitral valve area for early filling peak velocity (R2 = 0.84), and atrial-filling time velocity integral (R2 = 0.65). Isovolumic relaxation time and atrial-filling peak velocity became heart rate dependent not before 3 months after birth.

Conclusions

The observed parameter changes are powerful indicators for the maturational process in diastolic function. This process is mainly completed by 3 months of age.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Charité Medical Center, Humboldt-University of Berlin, Augustenburger Platz 1, D-13353, Berlin, Germany

    L. Schmitz & A. Xanthopoulos

  2. Clinic for Pediatric Cardiology, Feuerbachstr. 53, D-12163, Berlin, Germany

    H. Koch

  3. German Heart Institute, Augustenburger Platz 1, D-13353, Berlin, Germany

    P. E. Lange

  4. Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt, Institut Berlin, Abbestrasse 2-12, D-10587, Berlin, Germany

    L. Schmitz

Authors
  1. L. Schmitz
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  2. A. Xanthopoulos
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  3. H. Koch
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  4. P. E. Lange
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Correspondence to L. Schmitz.

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Schmitz, L., Xanthopoulos, A., Koch, H. et al. Doppler Flow Parameters of Left Ventricular Filling in Infants: How Long Does It Take for the Maturation of the Diastolic Function in a Normal Left Ventricle to Occur?. Pediatr Cardiol 25, 482–491 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00246-003-0605-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00246-003-0605-1

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