NORMATIVE DATA FOR ECHOCARDIOGRAPHIC CHAMBER DIMENSIONS IN SOUTH-ASIANS

Abstract

Objectives: The study was carried out in an attempt to establish normograms for chamber sizes in local setting, define the normal reference intervals and formulate prediction equations. Methodology: The final study group consisted of 1311 subjects. Echocardiographic dimensions were measured with “Powervision 7000” scanner (Model SSA-380A software version 4.0, Toshiba, Nasu, Japan) using a 2.5 MHz sector probe with the subjects in left lateral position. Results:The study included 713 men and 598 women aged 47.9±18.5 and 46.9±14.8 years respectively.Men generally had greater average height, weight, BSA and BMI than women (p values <0.005). Gender specific aortic root and LA diameters and their BSA and height derived indices are described as mean ± SD th th and 5 and 95 percentile ranges along with ASE recommended reference intervals for comparison.The centile values for LA diameter showed a wider range than the ASE recommended limits. The values for PWT, RWT, EF and FS th carried higher 95 percentiles than ASE recommended upper limits.All chamber parameters showed significant correlations with BSA (p < 0.005). Conclusion: The practice of utilizing normograms in adult echocardiographic examinations is poorly applied and the scientific data for predictive equations in adults is scarce. Large enough studies on ethnically diverse populations, using allometric scaling to FFM and redefining the cutoffs call for future research.