Normal reference ranges for the left ventricular mass and left ventricular mass index in preterm infants

Area of Science:

• Neonatal cardiology
• Pediatric echocardiography
• Growth and development studies

Background:

• Assessing cardiac development in preterm infants is crucial for monitoring their health.
• Establishing normative data for left ventricular mass (LVM) and LVM index (LVMI) is essential for identifying abnormalities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish normal reference ranges for LVM and LVMI in preterm infants.
• To correlate these measurements with body surface area (BSA), body weight, and gestational age.
• To provide a clinical tool for evaluating cardiac growth in this population.

Main Methods:

• A prospective study involving 268 preterm infants.
• Echocardiograms were performed to measure LVM and LVMI from birth up to 36 weeks corrected gestational age.
• Infants were categorized into six groups based on BSA.

Main Results:

• LVM showed significant correlation with gestational age, body weight, and BSA.
• LVMI correlated significantly with body weight and BSA.
• Reference ranges for LVM and LVMI were established according to BSA, demonstrating a gradual increase with larger BSA and during the first 9 weeks of life.

Conclusions:

• LVM and LVMI are significantly correlated with BSA and body weight in preterm infants.
• The study provides essential reference data for LVM and LVMI based on BSA.
• This data serves as a valuable tool for clinical assessment and monitoring of preterm infants' cardiac health.