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Right ventricular systolic dysfunction in young adults born preterm.
Adam J Lewandowski1, William M Bradlow, Daniel Augustine
1Oxford Cardiovascular Clinical Research Facility, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford OX39DU, UK.
Circulation
|August 14, 2013
Summary
Young adults born preterm show altered right ventricular structure and function. Preterm birth leads to smaller right ventricle size but increased mass, impacting systolic function.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Neonatology
- Pediatric Cardiology
Background:
- Preterm birth impacts cardiovascular development, with known left ventricular differences in young adults.
- Animal studies indicate cardiomyocyte changes in both ventricles after preterm birth.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate right ventricular structure and function differences in young adults born preterm.
- To compare right ventricular changes to previously reported left ventricular alterations.
Main Methods:
- Cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging (1.5-T scanner) was used to assess 102 preterm-born young adults and 132 term-born controls.
- Postprocessing software (Argus, TomTec) quantified right ventricular size, mass, and ejection fraction.
Main Results:
- Preterm-born adults had smaller right ventricles (end diastolic volume) but greater right ventricular mass compared to controls.
- Right ventricular differences were more pronounced than previously observed for the left ventricle.
- Significantly lower right ventricular ejection fraction was found in preterm-born adults, with some exhibiting systolic dysfunction.
Conclusions:
- Preterm birth is linked to global myocardial structural and functional changes extending into adulthood.
- Right ventricular size is smaller and mass is greater in adults born preterm, with potentially significant systolic function impairment.
- These findings highlight the long-term cardiovascular consequences of preterm birth on the right ventricle.
Keywords:
heartheart ventriclesmagnetic resonance imagingpremature birthsystoleventricular remodelingMore Related Videos
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