Mechanocardiographic assessment of systolic time intervals in normal children

Abstract

Systolic time intervals (STI) were measured in 469 normal children, aged 5.0 to 16.9 years, using simultaneous recordings of the electrocardiogram, phonocardiogram and an external carotid pulse tracing. The data were analyzed to define the influence of sex, age, cardiac cycle length, body weight (BW), body length (BL), and body surface area (BSA) on the left ventricular STI. Regression, equations were evaluated for the calculation of normal standards for the following STI: electromechanical systole (QS2), left ventricular ejection time (LVET), pre-ejection period (PEP) systolic quotient (PEP/LVET), isovolumic contraction time (IVCT), electroacustical delay (QS1), and additionally for the so-called tension time (TT), upstroke time (UT), and the ascending index (UT/LVET) of the carotid pulse wave. Heart rate was found to influence all of the STI but the ratio UT/LVET, which revealed to be independent of any variable. Besides heart rate, BSA proved to be a second relevant independent variable for QS2 and LVET, respectively BL for PEP, PEP/LVET and QS1. These findings are in accordance to the results of comparable echocardiographic studies but disagree previous mechanocardiographic studies in smaller groups of children in whom age and not the above-mentioned parameters of the individual development seemed to influence the STI. A second set of equations was evaluated for the calculation of 95%-prediction intervals for the particular STI permitting to define abnormalities of the STI in individual children.