Comparison of echocardiographic linear dimensions for male and female child and adolescent athletes with published pediatric normative data

BackgroundApplication of normative data for echocardiographic measurements to children practicing sports may lead to false positive findings. The aim of the study was to define the normative data of basic echocardiographic measurements for this group and to compare them to the previously published normative data for the pediatric population.MethodsParasternal long-axis 2D-guided echocardiographic measurements were obtained from a group of 791 child athletes (ages 5–18 years). According to the methodology presented previously by Pettersen et al. (2008), the regression equations for basic cardiac dimensions against body surface area were derived and individual Z-scores values were computed, using both Pettersen’s equations and newly derived ones.ResultsZ-scores computed based on Pettersen’s equations were found to differ significantly from those based on the new equations, for all the analyzed parameters (pConclusionThe study presents normative data for basic echocardiographic cardiac measurements for children of both sexes practicing varying sporting disciplines and compares them with general pediatric population. Mean values of cardiac dimensions are higher in young athletes, particularly in relation to the left atrium and left ventricular muscle thickness. In most cases, the upper limit of normality observed in the young athletes is confined within the upper limit of the general pediatric population.背景：将超声心动图测量（echocardiographic measurements）的正常参考值（normative data）应用于运动儿童群体时，可能会得出假阳性结果。本研究旨在明确该群体基础超声心动图测量的正常参考值，并将其与已发表的儿科人群正常参考值进行对比。 方法：本研究纳入791名年龄5~18岁的儿童运动员，获取其胸骨旁长轴二维引导下的超声心动图测量数据。参照Pettersen等人2008年提出的研究方法，推导基础心脏维度与体表面积的回归方程，并分别采用Pettersen的方程与新推导的方程计算个体Z值（Z-scores）。 结果：针对所有分析参数，基于Pettersen方程计算得到的Z值与基于新方程得到的Z值存在显著差异（p 结论：本研究明确了参与不同运动项目的男女儿童运动员的基础超声心动图心脏测量正常参考值，并将其与普通儿科人群的参考值进行对比。儿童运动员的心脏维度均值更高，尤以左心房与左心室心肌厚度为甚。在多数情况下，儿童运动员的正常上限值处于普通儿科人群正常上限的范围内。