Age-related changes in diastolic function in children: Echocardiographic association with vortex formation time

Background: This study aims to understand the age-related changes in vortex formation time (VFT) index in children, and thus, describe the ranges of VFT in different pediatric age groups with the ultimate goal of assessment of diastolic function. Methods and results: Transthoracic echocardiograms in healthy (n = 84) subjects from birth to 20 years were analyzed to compute VFT and diastolic performance. LV apical and short-axis views were used. Three separate measurements were performed, and the mean was used to derive VFT and other indices. Statistical comparisons were made amongst the groups, stratified by age. Results: Vortex formation times in neonates (median 1.79, interquartile range 1.31–1.92) and infants (1.38, 1.07–1.72) were found to be significantly lower (P <.05) than the older age groups (1–5 years 2.47, 1.87–2.94, 5–10 years 2.18, 1.89–2.53, 10–20 years 2.34, 1.84–2.96). The changes in VFT correlate to the changes in diastolic function in children. Conclusion: Our results show that unlike adults, VFT changes along with the growth-related myocardial adaptations in children, and its range may be used to evaluate diastolic function. The present study is the first to test the significance of the trans-mitral VFT in children by comparing different age groups of healthy subjects.