YIA 01-01 ADVERSE NEONATAL HEALTH CORRELATES WITH LONG TERM CARDIAC FUNCTIONAL AND STRUCTURAL REMODELING IN YOUNG ADULTS BORN PRETERM.

OBJECTIVE: Studies support a direct causal association between preterm birth and increased risk of cardiovascular diseases. Increased left and right ventricular mass, and impaired systolic and diastolic function were observed in young adults born preterm. Deleterious neonatal conditions, as in preterm birth, could significantly impact on myocardial tissue. We investigated how left ventricle (LV) echocardiographic parameters in young adults born preterm correlated with neonatal health parameters and interventions data.

DESIGN AND METHOD: Forty-six young adults born preterm (gestational age < 29 weeks) were recruited. Neonatal data (gestational age, Apgar scores at 10 minutes after birth, and number of days of mechanical ventilation and oxygen therapy) was collected from medical records. Echocardiographic measurements of LV systolic and diastolic function, mass, and LV dimensions, volumes and wall thickness were taken. Spearman correlation (rs) was performed between neonatal and echocardiographic parameters.

RESULTS: Apgar scores correlated positively with ejection fraction and fractional shortening (rs: 0.430 and 0.428; P < 0.01), and negatively with LV mass index, septal thickness, LV diastolic diameter, LV end diastolic volume (-0.362, -0.386, -0.398 and -0.403; P < 0.05), and LV end systolic volume (-0.493; P < 0.01). Gestational age correlated negatively with LV diastolic diameter and LV end diastolic diameter (-0.342 and -0.348; P < 0.05). Number of days of mechanical ventilation and oxygen therapy correlated negatively with deceleration time and A wave duration (-0.336 for both, -0.378 and -0.386; P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS: Prematurity-related neonatal conditions are associated with long term young adult cardiac structure and function.