Clinical features and characteristics of echocardiography of noncompaction of the ventricular myocardium in children

Abstract

Objective To investigate the clinical and echocardiographic characteristics of children with noncompaction of the ventricular myocardium (NVM). Methods A total of 74 case informations of NVM children who were definitely diagnosed by echocardiography in West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University from August 2013 to August 2017, were retrospectively reviewed, and clinical and echocardiographic characteristics of NVM in children were summarized. Results ①Clinical characteristics in 74 cases of NVM children: the main outpatient or admitting diagnosis were congenital heart disease accounting for 32.4% (24/74), NVM accounting for 28.4%(21/74), pneumonia accounting for 21.6%(16/74). The main manifestations were precardiac systolic murmur (31.1%, 23/74), heart failure (25.7%, 19/74), heart shadow enlargement (17.6%, 13/74) and arrhythmia (4.1%, 3/74), etc.. ② Echocardiographic characteristics in 74 cases of NVM children: left ventricular noncompaction (LVNC) was 91.9% (68/74); left ventricle involvement was 95.9% (71/74), the main abnormal segments were cardiac apex combined with inferior and lateral walls of cardiac apex, and cardiac apex. Compacted layer of myocardium was (2.28±0.86) mm and noncompacted layer was (6.94±1.75) mm measured by ultrasoundcardiogram, and the ratio of noncompacted to compacted layers was (3.50±1.76). Most of cases were chambers of heart enlarged, and mainly in left atrium and ventricle. And 33.8% (25/74) of NVM children were left ventricular systolic function decreased. Isolated NVM was 60.8% (45/74), non-isolated NVM mainly complicated with congenital heart diseases (25.7%, 19/74) and dilated cardiomyopathy (8.1%, 6/74). There was no thrombosis in all cases. Conclusions The children with NVM have no specific clinical manifestations, it is difficult to make clinical diagnosis of NVM in children. Echocardiography is the preferred imaging examination method to make a definite diagnosis of NVM in children for its observation of myocardial morphology, evaluation of myocardial motion, and diagnosis of intracardiac combined malformations. Key words: Cardiomyopathies; Echocardiography, doppler, color; Child