Doppler echocardiographic studies of diastolic ventricular filling patterns in premature infants

Pulsed Doppler echocardiographic studies of both right and left ventricular diastolic inflow patterns were performed in 10 full-term newborn infants and serially during the first month of life in 21 premature (28 to 35 weeks' gestation) infants with no clinical cardiorespiratory disease. Results of studies performed during the first 10 days of life showed no significant difference in transmitral flow velocity or velocity-time integral measurements between full-term and preterm neonates. Values for transtricuspid velocity measurements were slightly lower in preterm infants, but E/A velocity ratio and relative contribution of E and A components to the total velocity-time integral were unchanged. Within the group of preterm infants gestational age did not affect any of the diastolic flow parameters. As preterm infants aged velocity of flow increased, but no changes were noted in the relative contributions of rapid ventricular filling and atrial contraction, either in terms of velocity of flow-velocity integral measurements. Doppler assessment of diastolic ventricular filling can provide an accessible method for serial evaluation of preterm infants. Values noted in "normal" premature infants resemble those found in full-term infants.