Background: There are few reports about acoustic quantification (AQ) in the area of pediatrics. We aim to determine normal values of AQ analysis and investigate the aging change of left ventricular function in children.
Methods: The subjects in this study included 137 patients (aged 29 days to 18 years) who had normal cardiac function and no cardiac load. None of the patients were receiving medical therapy. The instrument used was a PH-6500 (Philips, Andevor). Change of left ventricular area in short-axis view was detected by AQ analysis. From the mitral inflow, peak early (E) and peak late (A) diastolic velocities were measured, and E/A was calculated.
Results: End-diastolic area (EDA) and end-systolic area (ESA) increased with age. Fractional area change (FAC) decreased with age. Peak ejection rate (PER) and peak rapid filling rate (PRFR) decreased with age up to 10 years. Atrial filling fraction (AFF) decreased and E/A increased with age up to 5 years.
Conclusions: Maturational or developmental alterations in LV diastolic properties were found up to 5 years old. AQ analysis is one of the useful indexes for investigating left ventricular diastolic function.
Keywords: Acoustic quantification; Aging change; Children; Echocardiography; Left ventricular function.