^{OBJECTIVES: Echocardiographic assessment of the left ventricular (LV) diastolic function in the pediatric populations has not been established. The aim of this study was to propose the reference values for the echocardiographic indices of the LV diastolic function in children.
METHODS: We evaluated 79 children (2 months to 19 years of age, Median 5 years), who were confirmed no significant cardiac defects by echocardiographic examinations. In addition to routine cardiac assessments, LV diastolic function was evaluated by measuring parameters including the transmitral early (E) and late (A) inflow velocities, E wave deceleration time (DcT), and early (E') and late (A') diastolic tissue Doppler velocities of the septal mitral annulus.
RESULTS: E was 89 +/- 15 cm/s, A 53 +/- 14 cm/s, E/A ratio 1.8 +/- 0.63, E’ 10 +/- 1.8 cm/s, A’ 5.9 +/- 1.7 cm/s, DcT 121 +/- 28.1 msec and E/E’ ratio 8.7 +/- 1.9. Most of all diastolic parameters except E/E’ ratio closely correlated with age, body surface area (BSA) and heart rate. E/E’ ratio, however, was not influenced by these factors. None of diastolic parameters correlated with LV end-diastolic dimension, left atrium to aorta ratio or ejection fraction.
CONCLUSIONS: E/E’ ratio may be a useful index to assess the LV diastolic function in children without influences of age, BSA, or heart rate. On the other hand, other diastolic parameters should be applied in consideration of influences of these factors. These results provide the reference values to evaluate LV diastolic function parameters in pediatric populations.}