Maturational changes in left ventricular contractile state

It has been suggested from animal and human studies that age-related alterations in left ventricular contractility occur. However, there is little information about growth-related changes in left ventricular performance from preterm infants to older children.In 22 preterm infants, 23 fullterm infants, and 35 children, left ventricular contractility was evaluated by two-dimensional and M-mode echocardiography. The rate-corrected mean velocity of fiber shortening (mVcfc)-end-systolic wall stress (ESS) relation was used as an index of contractility. There were significant inverse linear correlations between ESS and mVcfc in the three groups (all P