PEDIATRICS Vol. 81 No. 6 June 1988, pp. 830-834
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow E-mail this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My File Cabinet
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via CrossRef
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Pahl, E.
Right arrow Articles by Gidding, S. S.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Pahl, E.
Right arrow Articles by Gidding, S. S.

Echocardiographic Assessment of Cardiac Function During Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection

Elfriede Pahl MD1 and Samuel S. Gidding MD1

1 From the Division of Cardiology, Children's Memorial Hospital, Chicago

Respiratory syncytial virus infection has been associated with increased morbidity and mortality in infants with underlying cardiac and pulmonary disease. To understand better the cardiopulmonary interaction in patients with acute respiratory syncytial virus bronchiolitis, we performed M-mode echocardiograms and pulsed Doppler assessment of pulmonary arterial flow in 19 patients with structurally normal hearts during acute illness. Studies were repeated in 11 of these patients following complete recovery. Based on severity of respiratory compromise, patients were grouped into those with severe illness (ten patients) or mild illness (nine patients). Left ventricular dimensions and shortening fraction were used to assess left ventricular function. Right ventricular systolic time intervals and specific Doppler flow velocity measurements were used to assess right ventricular function and elevation of pulmonary artery pressure. Comparisons were made between patients with severe and mild illness and between acute and follow-up studies. No statistically significant differences in left ventricular function, right ventricular systolic time intervals, or Doppler flow measurements were observed. We conclude that in patients with structurally normal hearts, respiratory syncytial virus bronchiolitis is not associated with significant depression of cardiac performance or elevation in pulmonary resistance.

Key Words: respiratory syncytial virus • pneumonia • bronchiolitis

Submitted on March 30, 1987
Accepted on July 10, 1987




This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 CLIN PEDIATRHome page
B. Joorabchi, E. Hammoude, and M. A. Khalid
Radiographic Inversion of Pulmonary Blood Flow in Acute Asthma
Clinical Pediatrics, May 1, 1994; 33(5): 286 - 291.
[Abstract] [PDF]