Reference ranges of left ventricular cross-sectional echocardiographic measurements in adult men.

Reference ranges for left ventricle cross-sectional echocardiographic measurements were determined in 67 healthy Dutch men. Age, weight, height, and heart rate were used as the determinants. The images were made with the apical long-axis view, and the calculations were done with the area-length method. The end-diastolic volume, end-systolic volume, stroke volume, and ejection fraction were measured for six consecutive cardiac cycles in every subject and were averaged. Data were analyzed by means of both simple linear regression and multiple linear regression after logarithmic transformation of all measurements. Weight proved to be the best predictor of the echocardiographic end-diastolic volume, end-systolic volume, and stroke volume. The left ventricular ejection fraction could be regarded as independent of the determinants studied. Nomograms of the 5th, 50th and 95th percentile limits were made of the echocardiographic parameters versus weight.