Right Ventricular Function in Infants, Children and Adolescents

Reference Values of the Tricuspid Annular Plane Systolic Excursion (TAPSE) in 640 Healthy Patients and Calculation ofzScore Values

Koestenberger, Martin MD
Ravekes, William MD
Everett, Allen D. MD
Stueger, Hans Peter PhD
Heinzl, Bernd MD
Gamillscheg, Andreas MD
Cvirn, Gerhard PhD
Boysen, Arnulf MD
Fandl, Andrea MD
Nagel, Bert MD

Graz, Austria
Division of Pediatric Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics (M.K., B.H., A.G., A.B., A.F., B.N.), and the Institute of Physiological Chemistry, Centre of Physiological Medicine (G.C.), Medical University Graz, Graz, Austria; the Division of Pediatric Cardiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD (W.R., A.D.E.); and Data, Statistics & Risk Assessment, Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety, Graz, Austria (H.P.S.)

^*Reprint requests: Martin Koestenberger, MD, Medical University Graz, Department of Paediatrics, Auenbruggerplatz 30, A-8036 Graz, Austria. (E-mail: [email protected]).

Journal of the American Society of Echocardiography 22(6):p 715-719, June 2009.

Background

Tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) is an echocardiographic measurement to assess right ventricular systolic function in adults. The aim of this study was to determine growth-related changes in TAPSE to establish references values.

Methods

A prospective study was conducted in a group of 640 healthy pediatric patients (age range, 1 day to 18 years; body surface area range, 0.12-2.25 m²). The effects of age and body surface area on TAPSE were determined.

Results

TAPSE ranged from a mean of 0.91 cm (z score ± 3, 0.56-1.26 cm) in neonates to 2.47 cm (z score ± 3, 1.84-3.10 cm) in 18-year-olds. TAPSE values showed positive correlations with age and body surface area. There was no significant difference in TAPSE values between female or male children.

Conclusion

In this study, z scores of TAPSE values were calculated and percentile charts were established to serve as reference data for ready application in patients with congenital heart disease in the future.