Left Ventricular Function and Dimensions Are Altered Early in Infants Developing Brain Injury in the Setting of Neonatal Encephalopathy

Abstract

We evaluated the association between left cardiac 3-dimensional echocardiographic parameters and brain injury in a single-center prospective study of neonates with neonatal encephalopathy. On day 2 of life, neonates with brain injury had greater left ventricle end-diastolic and stroke volume but also greater peak global circumferential strain detected by 3-dimensional echocardiogram.

Keywords: 3D echocardiography; left ventricular function and dimensions; neonatal encephalopathy; speckle tracking echocardiography; therapeutic hypothermia.