Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-xtgtn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-20T09:07:35.442Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Longitudinal strain and strain rate by tissue Doppler are more sensitive indices than fractional shortening for assessing the reduced myocardial function in asphyxiated neonates

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 October 2010

Eirik Nestaas*
Affiliation:
Department of Paediatrics, Oslo University Hospital, Ulleval, Oslo, Norway Department of Paediatrics, Vestfold Hospital Trust, Tønsberg, Norway
Asbjørn Støylen
Affiliation:
Department of Cardiology, St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim, Norway Faculty of Medicine, Department of Circulation and Medical Imaging, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
Leif Brunvand
Affiliation:
Department of Paediatrics, Oslo University Hospital, Ulleval, Oslo, Norway
Drude Fugelseth
Affiliation:
Department of Paediatrics, Oslo University Hospital, Ulleval, Oslo, Norway Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Blindern, Oslo, Norway
*
Correspondence to. Dr E. Nestaas, Department of Paediatrics, Vestfold Hospital Trust, 3103 Tønsberg, Norway. Tel: +47 333 42 000; Fax: +47 333 43 975; E-mail: nestaas@hotmail.com

Abstract

The function of the heart was studied in 20 asphyxiated term neonates by measuring the longitudinal peak systolic strain and peak systolic strain rate by tissue Doppler in 18 segments of the heart on days 1, 2, and 3 of life. The fractional shortening was assessed at each examination as well. Measurements were compared against measurements in 48 healthy term neonates examined by the same protocol. The function of the heart was lower in the asphyxiated neonates – peak systolic strain (mean (95% confidence interval) −19.4% (−20.4, −18.5), peak systolic strain rate −1.65 (−1.74, −1.56) per second) than in the healthy term neonates (peak systolic strain −21.7% (−22.3, −21.0), peak systolic strain rate −1.78 (−1.84, −1.74) per second; p < 0.001). Fractional shortening was similar in the asphyxiated (29.2% (26.8, 31.5)) and healthy term neonates (29.0% (27.9, 30.1); p = 0.874). The peak systolic strain differed significantly between the asphyxiated and healthy term neonates for the left basal and right basal groups of segments (p < 0.05) but not for the left apical, right apical, septum apical, or septum basal groups of segments. The peak systolic strain rate differed significantly only for the septum apical group of segments. The differences were largest on the second day of life. Measurements were similar in asphyxiated neonates with elevated and normal cardiac troponin T levels. The peak systolic strain and strain rate were in this study more sensitive indices than fractional shortening for assessing the reduced myocardial function in asphyxiated term neonates.

Type
Original Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2010

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1. Costa, S, Zecca, E, De, RG, et al. Is serum troponin T a useful marker of myocardial damage in newborn infants with perinatal asphyxia? Acta Paediatr 2007; 96: 181184.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
2. Barberi, I, Calabro, MP, Cordaro, S, et al. Myocardial ischaemia in neonates with perinatal asphyxia. Electrocardiographic, echocardiographic and enzymatic correlations. Eur J Pediatr 1999; 158: 742747.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
3. Lang, RM, Bierig, M, Devereux, RB, et al. Recommendations for chamber quantification: a report from the American Society of Echocardiography’s Guidelines and Standards Committee and the Chamber Quantification Writing Group, developed in conjunction with the European Association of Echocardiography, a branch of the European Society of Cardiology. J Am Soc Echocardiogr 2005; 18: 14401463.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
4. Lai, WW, Geva, T, Shirali, GS, et al. Guidelines and standards for performance of a pediatric echocardiogram. J Am Soc Echocardiogr 2006; 19: 14131430.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
5. Panteghini, M, Agnoletti, G, Pagani, F, Spandrio, M. Cardiac troponin T in serum as marker for myocardial injury in newborns. Clin Chem 1997; 43: 14551457.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
6. Costa, S, Zecca, E, De, RG, et al. Is serum troponin T a useful marker of myocardial damage in newborn infants with perinatal asphyxia? Acta Paediatr 2007; 96: 181184.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
7. Szymankiewicz, M, Matuszczak-Wleklak, M, Hodgman, JE, Gadzinowski, J. Usefulness of cardiac troponin T and echocardiography in the diagnosis of hypoxic myocardial injury of full-term neonates. Biol Neonate 2005; 88: 1923.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
8. Molicki, J, Dekker, I, de, GY, van, BF. Cerebral blood flow velocity wave form as an indicator of neonatal left ventricular heart function. Eur J Ultrasound 2000; 12: 3141.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
9. Heimdal, A, Stoylen, A, Torp, H, Skjaerpe, T. Real-time strain rate imaging of the left ventricle by ultrasound. J Am Soc Echocardiogr 1998; 11: 10131019.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
10. Edvardsen, T, Gerber, BL, Garot, J, et al. Quantitative assessment of intrinsic regional myocardial deformation by Doppler strain rate echocardiography in humans: validation against three-dimensional tagged magnetic resonance imaging. Circulation 2002; 106: 5056.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
11. Stoylen, A, Heimdal, A, Bjornstad, K, et al. Strain rate imaging by ultrasonography in the diagnosis of coronary artery disease. J Am Soc Echocardiogr 2000; 13: 10531064.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
12. Baum, H, Hinze, A, Bartels, P, Neumeier, D. Reference values for cardiac troponins T and I in healthy neonates. Clin Biochem 2004; 37: 10791082.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
13. Nestaas, E, Stoylen, A, Sandvik, L, Brunvand, L, Fugelseth, D. Feasibility and reliability of strain and strain rate measurement in neonates by optimizing the analysis parameters settings. Ultrasound Med Biol 2007; 33: 270278.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
14. Aase, SA, Stoylen, A, Ingul, CB, Frigstad, S, Torp, H. Automatic timing of aortic valve closure in apical tissue Doppler images. Ultrasound Med Biol 2006; 32: 1927.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
15. Nestaas, E, Stoylen, A, Brunvand, L, Fugelseth, D. Tissue Doppler derived longitudinal strain and strain rate during the first 3 days of life in healthy term neonates. Pediatr Res 2009; 65: 357360.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
16. Primhak, RA, Jedeikin, R, Ellis, G, et al. Myocardial ischaemia in asphyxia neonatorum. Electrocardiographic, enzymatic and histological correlations. Acta Paediatr Scand 1985; 74: 595600.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
17. Clark, SJ, Newland, P, Yoxall, CW, Subhedar, NV. Sequential cardiac troponin T following delivery and its relationship with myocardial performance in neonates with respiratory distress syndrome. Eur J Pediatr 2006; 165: 8793.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
18. Ingul, CB, Stoylen, A, Slordahl, SA. Recovery of stunned myocardium in acute myocardial infarction quantified by strain rate imaging: a clinical study. J Am Soc Echocardiogr 2005; 18: 401410.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed