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Measurement of right ventricular volume in healthy term and preterm neonates

Neonatal Unit, Liverpool Women’s Hospital, Liverpool L8 7SS, UK

Correspondence to:
Correspondence to:
Dr Clark, Neonatal Unit, Liverpool Women’s Hospital, Crown Street, Liverpool L8 7SS, UK;
rvecho{at}yahoo.com

Background: Pulmonary hypertension is associated with worse perinatal outcomes in infants with respiratory disorders. In such infants right ventricular dysfunction may result in poor pulmonary blood flow.

Objective: To evaluate the practicability and repeatability of echocardiographic measurements of right ventricular volume in healthy term and preterm neonates, and to follow changes in right ventricular volume over the first 2 days of life.

Methods: Serial echocardiographic examinations were performed on day 0, 1, and 2 on healthy term and preterm neonates. Two methods of estimating right ventricular volume were assessed: the ellipsoid approximation and Simpson’s stacked discs methods. Systolic and diastolic volumes on days 1 and 2 were compared with baseline values on day 0. Term and preterm volumes were compared at the same time points.

Results: Thirty five infants were recruited, 18 term and 17 preterm. Right ventricular volumes were significantly lower on day 1 and day 2 than baseline in both term and preterm infants. Median (interquartile range) end systolic and diastolic volumes for term infants on days 0, 1, and 2 were 1.04 (0.88–1.44), 0.82 (0.70–1.03), 0.92 (0.72–0.97) ml/kg and 2.21 (2.10–2.75), 2.05 (1.81–2.38), 1.91 (1.81–2.13) ml/kg respectively. In preterm infants the values were 1.09 (0.91–1.16), 0.72 (0.54–0.91), 0.61 (0.54–0.76) ml/kg and 2.09 (1.71–2.25), 1.47 (1.23–1.98), 1.43 (1.22–1.78) ml/kg respectively.

Conclusion: Right ventricular volume decreases over the first 2 days of life in healthy term and preterm infants.

Keywords: right ventricle; ventricular volume; heart; pulmonary hypertension; respiratory disorders