The diastolic inflow and longitudinal movement of the heart in the African full-term newborn infant
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24170/22-03-6514Abstract
Introduction: Echocardiography is essential in the assessment of systolic and diastolic left ventricular (LV) function. The diastolic component of the cardiac cycle which is a crucial aspect of cardiac output has been less researched in the neonatal population.
Aim: To determine normal echocardiographic references for diastolic inflow and longitudinal movement of both the left and right heart in healthy full-term Black African neonates.
Methodology: A descriptive, bidirectional study design was undertaken. Healthy African (Black) full-term newborn infants who met inclusion criteria were recruited at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital. Left and right ventricular (RV) systolic and diastolic function were assessed using various echocardiographic M-mode, flow Doppler and tissue Doppler measurements. Statistical analysis was performed using Excel and Statistica version 13.1. Normal ranges were calculated using means ± standard deviations.
Results: Two hundred and ninety-two neonates (142 males, 152 females; median gestational age 39 weeks, range 37–42 weeks) were included in the study. Most subjects (175/292;60%) were born by caesarean section.
Median body surface area was 0.20 m2 (range 0.16–0.25 m2). Median weight was 3.12 kg (range, 2.5–4.43 kg). Median post-delivery age at echocardiography was 31 hours (range 12–216 hours). The following measurements (means ±SD) were documented: LVEF and LVFS were 73.56% (±8.93) and 40.34% (±7.91) respectively. Mitral valve (MV) peak E = 0.58 m/s (±0.113), MV peak A = 0.59 m/s (±0.123), MV peak E/A ratio = 1.01 (±0.21), MV E’ = 0.058m/s (±0.012), MV E/E’ ratio = 10.38 (±2.65), MV S’ = 0.052 m/s (±0.009) and LV Tei = 0.306 (±0.139). Measurements pertaining to the RV function were: TAPSE = 7.51 mm (±1.304), tricuspid valve (TV) peak E = 0.512 m/s (±0.126), TV peak A = 0.616 m/s (±0.127), TV E/A = 0.845 (±0.199), TV E’ = 0.079 m/s (±0.021), TV E/E’ ratio = 6.78 (±2.02), TV S’ = 0.071 m/s (±0.045) and RV Tei = 0.283 (±0.132).
Conclusion: This large study established normal reference values for diastolic function and longitudinal systolic and diastolic movement of the heart in healthy full-term African neonates using echocardiography.
Downloads
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 SA Heart Journal

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
This journal is an open access journal, and the authors and journal should be properly acknowledged, when works are cited.
Authors may use the publishers version for teaching purposes, in books, theses, dissertations, conferences and conference papers.
A copy of the authors’ publishers version may also be hosted on the following websites:
- Non-commercial personal homepage or blog.
- Institutional webpage.
- Authors Institutional Repository.
The following notice should accompany such a posting on the website: “This is an electronic version of an article published in SAHJ, Volume XXX, number XXX, pages XXX–XXX”, DOI. Authors should also supply a hyperlink to the original paper or indicate where the original paper (http://www.journals.ac.za/index.php/SAHJ) may be found.
Authors publishers version, affiliated with the Stellenbosch University will be automatically deposited in the University’s’ Institutional Repository SUNScholar.
Articles as a whole, may not be re-published with another journal.
Copyright Holder: SA Heart Journal
The following license applies:
Attribution CC BY-NC-ND 4.0