Early diastolic dysfunction and respiratory morbidity in premature infants: an observational study

Objective To test if diastolic dysfunction measured on day one of age is associated with the need for invasive ventilation in preterm infants. Study design We conducted a retrospective observational tissue Doppler echocardiographic study over the first 12 h of age for infants born <32 weeks who were invasively ventilated, and infants on continuous positive pressure ventilation (CPAP). Results One hundred and eighty-three infants were included (27 +/- 2 weeks and 999 +/- 296 g). Invasively ventilated infants [(n = 96 (53%)] had lower left ventricular (LV) e' (3.4 +/- 1.0 vs. 4.1 +/- 1.5 cm/s, p < 0.01) and lower LV ea' ratio (0.8 +/- 0.2 vs. 1.0 +/- 0.4, p < 0.01), even after adjusting for common neonatal confounders (LV e' adjusted OR 0.62, 95% CI 0.45 - 0.87, p <0 .01; LV ea' adjusted OR 0.14, 95% CI 0.03-0.68, p = 0.01). Conclusion LV diastolic dysfunction is independently associated with a higher risk for invasive ventilation on day one of age.