Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-mlc7c Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-09T15:36:41.301Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Evaluation of cardiac function in healthy children native to 1890 metres

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 March 2010

Cenap Zeybek*
Affiliation:
Pediatric Cardiology, District Training and Research Hospital, Erzurum, Turkey
Vildan Tasyenen
Affiliation:
Pediatrics, District Training and Research Hospital, Erzurum, Turkey
Elif Kazanci
Affiliation:
Pediatrics, District Training and Research Hospital, Erzurum, Turkey
Aysun Boga
Affiliation:
Pediatrics, District Training and Research Hospital, Erzurum, Turkey
*
Correspondence to: Dr C. Zeybek, MD, Bolge Egitim Arastirma Hastanesi, Cocuk Kardiyoloji Klinigi, Cat Yolu, Erzurum, Turkey. Tel: +90-442-2325357 and +90-505-7705873; Fax: +90-442-232; E-mails: [email protected] and [email protected]

Abstract

Objective

The aim of the study is, by comparing cardiac parameters between children native to 1890 metres with children living at sea level, to find out whether there is any impairment in cardiac function related to that altitude.

Methods

Electrocardiographic, conventional, and tissue Doppler echocardiographic parameters were compared in 42 healthy children native to 1890 metres, and in 21 healthy age and gender matched children living at sea level. Plasma haemoglobin level and oxygen saturation measured by pulse oxymeter were also obtained from all patients.

Results

Haemoglobin levels were higher, and oxygen saturation levels were lower in children native to 1890 metres. Conventional echocardiographic parameters and mitral annular myocardial parameters were all similar between children native to 1890 metres and children living at sea level. Tricuspid lateral annular early diastolic velocity and the ratio of early-to-late diastolic velocity were significantly lower and tricuspid lateral annular izovolumetric relaxation time was significantly higher in children native to 1890 metres than children living at sea level.

Conclusion

Children living at 1890 metres of altitude predispose to asymptomatic right ventricular diastolic dysfunction or otherwise they remain as healthy children.

Type
Original Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2010

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1.Penaloza, D, Arias-Stella, J. The heart and pulmonary circulation at high altitudes: healthy highlanders and chronic mountain sickness. Circulation 2007; 9: 11321146.Google Scholar
2.Maggiorini, M. Cardio-pulmonary interactions at high altitude. Pulmonary hypertension as a common denominator. Adv Exp Med Biol 2003; 543: 177189.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
3.Gibbs, JS. Biventricular function at high altitude: implications for regulation of stroke volume in chronic hypoxia. Adv Exp Med Biol 2007; 618: 1324.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
4.Ma, RY, Pang, Y, Qi, HY, Sun, K. Comparative study of pulmonary arterial pressure in healthy children at different altitude by Doppler echocardiography. High Alt Med Biol 2004; 5: 259.Google Scholar
5.Niermeyer, S, Andrade, MP, Huicho, L. Child health and living at high altitude. Arch Dis Child 2009; 10: 806811.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
6.Huicho, L. Postnatal cardiopulmonary adaptations to high altitude. Respir Physiol Neurobiol 2007; 158: 190203.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
7.Penaloza, D, Sime, F, Ruiz, L. Pulmonary hemodynamics in children living at high altitudes. High Alt Med Biol 2008; 9: 199207.Google Scholar
8.Huicho, L, Niermeyer, S. Cardiopulmonary pathology among children resident at high altitude in Tintaya, Peru: a cross-sectional study. High Alt Med Biol 2006; 2: 168179.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
9.Huez, S, Faoro, V, Guénard, H, Martinot, JB, Naeije, R. Echocardiographic and tissue Doppler imaging of cardiac adaptation to high altitude in native highlanders versus acclimatized lowlanders. Am J Cardiol 2009; 11: 16051609.Google Scholar
10.Naeije, R. Pulmonary circulation at high altitude. Respiration 1997; 6: 429434.Google Scholar
11.Alexander, JK, Grover, RF. Mechanism of reduced cardiac stroke volume at high altitude. Clin Cardiol 1983; 6: 301303.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
12.Huicho, L, Muro, M, Pacheco, A, et al. Cross-sectional study of echocardiographic characteristics in healthy children living at high altitude. Am J Hum Biol 2005; 6: 704717.Google Scholar
13.Huez, S, Retailleau, K, Unger, P, et al. Right and left ventricular adaptation to hypoxia: a tissue Doppler imaging study. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 2005; 289: H1391H1398.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
14.Fisher, MR, Forfia, PR, Chamera, E, et al. Accuracy of Doppler echocardiography in the hemodynamic assessment of pulmonary hypertension. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2009; 7: 615621.Google Scholar
15.Fahmy, EM, Abdelraouf, DA. Right ventricular myocardial isovolumic relaxation time as novel method for evaluation of pulmonary hypertension: correlation with endothelin-1 levels. J Am Soc Echocardiogr 2007; 5: 462469.Google Scholar
16.Friedberg, MK, Feinstein, JA, Rosenthal, DN. A novel echocardiographic doppler method for estimation of pulmonary arterial pressures. J Am Soc Echocardiogr 2006; 5: 559562.CrossRefGoogle Scholar