Characterizing cardiac dysfunction in fetuses with left congenital diaphragmatic hernia

Objective To evaluate cardiac function by conventional echocardiography and tissue Doppler imaging in fetuses with left congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH). Methods Conventional echocardiography (myocardial performance index, ventricular filling velocities, and E/A ratios) and tissue Doppler imaging (annular myocardial peak velocities, E/E′ and E′/A′ ratios) in mitral, septal, and tricuspid annulus were evaluated in a cohort of 31 left‐sided CDH fetuses and compared with 75 controls matched for gestational age 2:1. Results In comparison to controls, CDH fetuses had prolonged isovolumetric time periods (isovolumetric contraction time 35 ms vs 28 ms, P