Reference values and the Z-score values of tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion in Chinese children

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Cardiology
• Echocardiography
• Reference Standards

Background:

• Tricuspid Annular Plane Systolic Excursion (TAPSE) is a key echocardiographic measure of right ventricular systolic function.
• Establishing age- and body surface area (BSA)-specific reference values for TAPSE in pediatric populations is crucial for accurate clinical assessment.
• Previous studies have not comprehensively defined TAPSE reference ranges for Chinese children.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish age-specific and BSA-specific reference values for TAPSE in Chinese children under 15 years old.
• To develop percentile and Z-score curves for TAPSE based on age and BSA.
• To provide a normative dataset for evaluating right ventricular function in pediatric patients in China.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 702 pediatric cases from the Children's Hospital Attached to the Capital Institute of Pediatrics.
• Utilized the Lambda-mu-sigma method for statistical analysis to construct percentile and Z-score curves.
• Data analysis performed using SPSS 25.0.

Main Results:

• TAPSE values demonstrated a nonlinear increase with age and BSA in children from 0 to 15 years.
• The adult threshold of 17 mm for TAPSE was reached by approximately 1 year of age.
• No significant differences in TAPSE values were observed between genders.

Conclusions:

• Age- and BSA-specific reference values for TAPSE have been established for Chinese children.
• These reference values are essential for the accurate interpretation of right ventricular systolic function in pediatric echocardiography.
• Future prospective, multicenter studies are recommended to further validate and expand these findings across diverse Chinese populations.