Real-time three-dimensional echocardiographic left heart parameters in healthy indian adults

Cardiac chamber dimensions are race and anthropometry dependent. We determined the age and gender specific 3-Dimensional echocardiographic (3DE) reference values for dimensions and function of left ventricle (LV) and left atrium (LA) in normal Indian adults.

This single center prospective study enrolled 133 adult Indians free of heart disease and/or hypertensions, subjecting them to 3DE measurements of left atrial (LA) & left ventricular (LV) volumes, function and left ventricular mass (LVM). The higher limits of normal cut-offs were determined for these parameters and their dependency on age, gender and anthropometry were analyzed.

The body surface area (BSA) corrected higher limit cut-offs were: 59.37ml/m² for LV end diastolic volume (59.19ml/m² and 59.61ml/m² for men and women, respectively; P=NS); 23.48ml/m² for LV end systolic volume (23.27ml/m2 and 23.11ml/m² for men and women, P=NS). Mean LVEF was 64.79%±7.26 (62.99%±6.51 and 67.05%±7.58 in men and women, P=NS). Men had higher LVM than women (119.79g±23.95 vs. 103.26g±23.76, P<0.001), this difference disappeared after BSA indexing. The higher limit cut-offs for normal LA volumes were 20.49ml for minimum volume (21.18ml and 19.46ml for men and women, P=NS) and 39.76ml for maximum volume (39.60ml and 40.03ml in men and women, P=NS). The parameters were smaller compared to western populations but the differences attenuated after BSA indexing.

The study reports normal 3DE parameters of size and function of left heart chambers in Indians.