Normal reference values of cardiac chamber sizes and functional parameters in a beninese community population: the TAHES study

Reported ranges of normal values for echocardiographic measurements are mostly issued from studies performed in Caucasians. This study is a part of TAHES, a population-based prospective cohort study in Benin and aims to establish normal reference values for echocardiographic cardiac chambers dimensions and Doppler parameters in a Sub-Saharan African population. We included 486 healthy (non-diabetic, non-obese and normotensive) individuals (202 men and 284 women, age 37[30-47] years, BSA 1.58 (1.47-1.67) m(2)). End-diastolic interventricular septal wall thickness, left ventricular (LV) internal diameter, posterior wall thicknesses, and systolic LV internal diameter were respectively at 10[9-12], 45[43-49], 9[8-11], 29[26-34] mm for male and 9[7-10], 43[41-46], 8[7-], 29[27-32] mm for females. LV mass was significantly greater in males even after normalization for the body surface area (98[85-117] vs. 82[71-96] g/m(2)). Upper limits of BSA-indexed LV mass were 145 g/m(2) for males and 124 g/m(2) for females. The allometric exponent that described the LV mass-Height relationship were 2.5 in both sexes but 1.2 for males and 1.8 for females separately. E-wave velocity was 0.79 [0.65-0.90] cm/sec in males and 0.88 [0.78-0.99]cm/sec in females (p < 0.0001) but without significant gender differences in E/A ratio (limits: 0.75 and 2.1). The e & PRIME;-wave velocity (lower limit = 8 cm/sec) decreased and E/e & PRIME; ratio (Upper limit = 9) increased with aging. Upper limit of BSA-indexed left atrium volume was 38 mL/m(2) for both sexes. In conclusion, normal values from a general population in West Africa differ from those established in Caucasian populations with greater LV mass and wall thicknesses.

Automated summary

This study aims to establish normal reference values for echocardiographic cardiac chambers dimensions and Doppler parameters in a Sub-Saharan African population. The results show that normal values in West Africa differ from those established in Caucasian populations, with greater left ventricular mass and wall thicknesses.