Global Longitudinal Strain is an Informative Index of Left Ventricular Performance in Neonates Receiving Intensive Care

Abstract

Echocardiographic assessment of left ventricular function is crucial in NICU. The study aimedto compare the accuracy and agreement of global longitudinal strain (GLS) with conventional measurements. Real-life echocardiograms of neonates receiving intensive care were retrospectively reviewed. Shortening fraction (SF), ejection fraction (EF) and S’ measurements were retrieved from health records. GLS was calculated offline from stored images. The association with stroke volume indexed for body weight (iSV) was evaluated by regression analysis.