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Persistence of fetal circulation syndrome: an echocardiographic study
Insights
Echocardiograms revealed prolonged systolic time intervals in infants with persistence of fetal circulation syndrome (PFCS), indicating potential right and left ventricular dysfunction. These intervals improved with clinical recovery, suggesting PFCS impacts cardiac function.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Cardiology
- Neonatal Physiology
- Echocardiography
Background:
- Persistence of fetal circulation syndrome (PFCS) is a critical neonatal condition characterized by elevated pulmonary vascular resistance.
- Assessing cardiac function in neonates with PFCS is crucial for diagnosis and management.
- Systolic time intervals (STIs) derived from echocardiography can provide insights into ventricular performance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate right and left ventricular systolic time intervals using serial echocardiograms in infants with PFCS.
- To determine if STIs correlate with the severity of PFCS and clinical improvement.
Main Methods:
- Serial echocardiograms were performed on 17 infants diagnosed with PFCS.
- Right ventricular systolic time intervals (RPEP/RVET) and left ventricular systolic time intervals (LPEP/LVET) were measured.
- STIs were compared between infants with PFCS and normal newborns and monitored during clinical recovery.
Main Results:
- Infants with PFCS exhibited prolonged RPEP/RVET compared to normal neonates.
- LPEP/LVET was also found to be prolonged in infants with PFCS.
- A decrease in RPEP/RVET was observed with clinical improvement in PFCS patients.
- Elevated RPEP/RVET correlated with increased pulmonary artery pressure and resistance in PFCS.
- Prolonged LPEP/LVET suggested potential left ventricular dysfunction.
Conclusions:
- Echocardiographic systolic time intervals are abnormal in infants with PFCS, reflecting elevated pulmonary vascular resistance and potential biventricular dysfunction.
- Serial measurements of STIs can aid in monitoring disease progression and response to treatment in PFCS.
- Echocardiography provides a valuable non-invasive tool for assessing cardiac hemodynamics in neonatal PFCS.
Abstract:
Serial echocardiograms were performed on 17 infants with persistence of fetal circulation syndrome to measure right ventricular systolic time intervals from pulmonic valve echograms and left ventricular systolic time intervals from aortic valve echograms. Right ventricular pre-ejection period/right ventricular ejection time ratio was prolonged in PFCS when compared to that in normal newborn infants, and diminished with clinical improvement. Left ventricular pre-ejection period/left ventricular ejection time ratio was prolonged in infants with PFCS. Echographic RPEP/RVET was consistent with the elevated pulmonary artery pressure and pulmonary vascular resistance of PFCS; elevated LPEP/LVET suggested left ventricular dysfunction.