Abstract
Right ventricular systolic tine intervals have been measured from pulmonary valve echograms and ↑ right pre-ejection period/right ventricular ejection time (RPEP/RVET) correlated with ↑ pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) in children with cardiac disease. In the postnatal period two groups of infants with ↑ PVR were identified by ↑ RPEP/RVET: (a) term infants with hypoxemia, evidence of right to left shunting and minimal pulmonary parenchymal disease--persistent fetal circulation (PFC, N=20) and (b) preterm infants with respiratory distress, diffuse reticulogranular mottling on chest radiograph and requiring assisted ventilation-severe respiratory distress syndrome (RDS, N=23). Mean RPEP/RVET in PFC was significantly elevated (p<0.01) when compared to values in 38 normal neonates less than 96 hours of age (12 hours 0.67 to 0.39; 96 hours 0.47 to 0.28). In severe RDS, RPEP/RVET was significantly increased (p<.005) when compared to 22 preterm infants without respiratory distress during the first 24-48 hours (12 hours 0.58 to 0.33; 48 hours 0.39 to 0.28). Preterm infants with severe RDS were a heterogenous group, 12 having ↑ RPEP/RVET and 11 normal ratios. Those with ↑ RPEP/RVET had a mortality of 5/12 while those with normal ratios had a mortality of 1/11. Echocardiography non-invasively identified ↑ PVR in newborns with PFC and severe RDS and may identify neonates who would benefit from therapy aimed at reducing PVR.
Log in or create a free account to read this content
Gain free access to this article, as well as selected content from this journal and more on nature.com
or
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Halliday, H., Hirschfeld, S., Riggs, T. et al. THE SPECTRUM OF INCREASED PULMONARY VASCULAR RESISTANCE IN THE NEWBORN. Pediatr Res 11, 572 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197704000-01215
Issue date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197704000-01215
