Mitral annular plane systolic excursion/left ventricular length (MAPSE/L) as a simple index for assessing left ventricular longitudinal function in children.

BackgroundAssessment of longitudinal left ventricular (LV) function is important for early detection of cardiac dysfunction. Although mitral annular plane systolic excursion (MAPSE) obtained by M-mode echocardiography offers a simple method for assessing longitudinal LV function, normal values of MAPSE for children change according to body size. MethodsTo minimize the effects of body size, MAPSE was divided by LV long-axis length (MAPSE/L). MAPSE/L was measured in 210 healthy children from birth to 15years of age and classified into five subgroups. MAPSE/L was then compared with 10 parameters in 136 children (age, heart rate, mean blood pressure, ejection fraction of the LV (EF), peak atrial flow velocity/peak early diastolic flow velocity of mitral flow, tissue Doppler velocity during systole (s') and early diastole (e'), E/e' ratio, Tei index, and global longitudinal strain (GLS) of the LV by the speckle tracking method). ResultsMAPSE/L was significantly lower in the neonate group than in the remaining four groups. MAPSE/L then increased with age to peak at 1-5years and gradually decreased thereafter. In all cases beyond the neonatal period, MAPSE/L was more than 0.17. Among various parameters, GLS, age, EF, Tei index and s' were significantly associated with MAPSE/L in that order. In univariate analysis, GLS was most significantly associated with MAPSE/L (r=.56). ConclusionsWe have established normal reference values for MPSE/L in healthy children. MAPSE/L is expected to offer a simple parameter to evaluate LV longitudinal systolic function during daily routine echocardiography in children.