Altered early left ventricular diastolic cardiac function in the premature infant.

Developmental changes in diastolic ventricular function were assessed in 31 premature infants and in 10 normal-term infants. They were studied during the first 72 hours of life using instantaneous rates of change of left ventricular (LV) cavity dimension, derived from M-mode echocardiography. Maximal velocity of lengthening of the LV cavity was significantly lower in premature infants (38 +/- 7 mm/s) than in term infants (88 +/- 15 mm/s). This variable increased with increasing maturity over the 4 gestational age groups evaluated (r = 0.87). This index normalized for instantaneous LV dimension was lower in the most immature infants (4.5 +/- 1 s-1) than in term infants (6.8 +/- 2 s-1). Eight of the premature infants were studied serially at 1, 3 and 7 days of age. Maximal velocity of lengthening divided by stroke dimension improved from 12.9 +/- 2 s-1 at 1 day of age to 16.5 +/- 3 s-1 at 7 days. These results suggest depressed early diastolic function in premature infants.