Evaluation of left ventricular function in preterm infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia using various echocardiographic techniques

Aim: Echocardiographic evaluation of left ventricular function in preterm infants with and without bronchopulmonary dysplasia. Methods: In 82 preterm infants (32 in no-bronchopulmonary-dysplasia group, 35 in mild-bronchopulmonary-dysplasia group, and 15 in severe-bronchopulmonary-dysplasia group), echocardiography was performed on the first day of life, at 28days of life, and at 36weeks postconceptional age. Results: The mean E/A ratio at 36 PCA was 0.94 +/- 0.31 and 0.73 +/- 0.12 in the mild- and severe-bronchopulmonary- dysplasia groups, respectively (P=.037). The mean E-wave velocity was 5.62 +/- 1.61 cm/s vs 4.32 +/- 1.11 cm/s at 1day of life (P=.006) and 6.40 +/- 1.39 cm/s vs 5.34 +/- 1.37 cm/s at 28days of life (P=.030) in the no-bronchopulmonary-dysplasia and mild-bronchopulmonary-dysplasia groups, respectively. This measure tended to be lower in the severe-bronchopulmonary-dysplasia group compared to the no-bronchopulmonary-dysplasia group (5.25 +/- 1.29 cm/s at 28days of life; P=.081). The E/E' ratio differed between the no-bronchopulmonary-dysplasia (7.21 +/- 1.85) and mild-bronchopulmonary-dysplasia groups (9.03 +/- 2.56; P=.019) at 1day of life. The left ventricle myocardial performance index decreased between 1day of life and 36 postconceptional age in infants without bronchopulmonary dysplasia and those with mild bronchopulmonary dysplasia, but not in those with severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia. Conclusion: E/A and E/E' ratios are the most sensitive indicators of impaired left ventricle diastolic function in preterm infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia.