Joanna Szymkiewicz-Dangel

The Polish National Registry for Fetal Cardiac Pathology: organization, diagnoses, management, educational aspects and telemedicine endeavors†

We describe the National Registry for Fetal Cardiac Pathology, a program under the Polish Ministry of Health aimed at improving the prenatal diagnosis, care, and management of congenital heart disease (CHD).

Echocardiographic evaluation of right ventricular function in preterm infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia

To evaluate right ventricular function in preterm infants with and without bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

Evaluation of left ventricular function in preterm infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia using various echocardiographic techniques

Echocardiographic evaluation of left ventricular function in preterm infants with and without bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

Myocardial performance index (Tei index) in term and preterm neonates during the neonatal period

BACKGROUND The myocardial performance index (MPI) is a noninvasive method to measure global systolic and diastolic myocardial function. In both term and premature neonates, changes in the systolic and diastolic function of the left ventricle (LV) and right ventricle (RV) reflect the degree of neonatal myocardial immaturity and the co-existence of foetal circulation. AIM To assess MPI (or Tei indices) of both ventricles in term and preterm newborns, and to observe MPI trends throughout the neonatal period. METHODS Heart ultrasound imaging was performed on the first day of life (DOL), after patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) closure, and on the 28th DOL, in 29 term and 29 preterm newborns. RVMPI and LVMPI were measured within the preterm group at 40 weeks of post-conception age (PCA). RESULTS A statistically significant reduction in RVMPI was observed in both term and preterm newborns. In term newborns, the RVMPI value on the first DOL was 0.42 ± 14, dropping to 0.29 ± 0.09 after PDA closure, and finally reaching 0.22 ± 0.09 on the 28th DOL. The respective RVMPI values for the preterm newborns were 0.44 ± 0.15, 0.30 ± 0.12, and 0.21 ± 0.08. Little variability in the mean values of LVMPI was observed in both groups throughout the neonatal period. The LVMPI for term neonates in successive measurements was 0.37 ± 0.10, 0.39 ± 0.07, and 0.37 ± 0.11, respectively, and for the preterm neonates it was 0.37 ± 0.10, 0.35 ± 0.09, and 0.36 ± 0.10, respectively. The MPI values from preterm newborns taken at 40 weeks PCA (RVMPI = 0.28 ± 0.09; LVMPI = 0.37 ± 0.05) were comparable to those measured in term newborns after PDA closure. CONCLUSIONS Observed postnatal changes in RVMPI correspond to changes in ventricular function, reflecting the haemodynamic changes of the transitional circulation. The relatively small postnatal changes in LVMPI in term and preterm newborns may reflect an immature myocardium. The RVMPI and LVMPI values at 40 weeks PCA in preterm newborns correlate best with MPI values in term newborns just after PDA closure.

775 Myocardial Performance Index (Tei Index) in Preterm Neonates without Bpd

Background To define age-related changes in left (LV) and right (RV) ventricular function by using myocardial performance index (Tei Index) in preterm neonates. Materials and Methods 18 newborn infants were selected from preterm neonates with the gestational age of 24–32 weeks, mean birth weight 917.5 g (min. 520, max. 1920 g). The Tei Index is a Doppler-derived myocardial performance tool which can be used to evaluate the systolic and diastolic function. The first measurement was taken as soon as possible after birth, the second one was taken on day 3 of life, the third one at the 40 th wk post-conceptional age (pca). Results The higher Tei index was obtained in the RV (mean value - 0.39; SD +/–0.15) then the LV (mean value - 0.36; SD +/–0.10) in the first day of life. In the LV the Tei index was constant during the neonatal period and at 40 wks pca (from mean value 0.36-day 1, 0.35 day 3 and at 40 wks pca.), and we observed the conversion in the RV between the first and the third day of life and at 40 wks pca (mean value 0.39- day 1 to 0.30 -day 3 and to 0.28 at 40 wks pca). Conclusion The higher mean value of the Tei index in the RV might be reflecting the “persistent” fetal status of this ventricle in the first day of life. Although constant value of the Tei index in the LV reflect the degree of neonatal myocardial immaturity. Grant- MNiSW No. 407414336.