Background and Objectives : There has been much need for standard normal values
of echocardiographic indices in Korea. Echocardiography Council of the Korean Society
of Circulation performed multicenter trial for estimation of normal values of normal
values of echocardiographic indices.
Methods : In 19 university or general hospitals, echocardiographic specialists measured
frequently used echocardiographic indices with the same method in healthy people. The
measured indices were 36 items which involved M-mode, 2-dimensional and Doppler
echocardiographic parameters. All the results were recorded on video tapes and reviewed
by the review committee. The results were included for analysis only if the review
committee accepted them.
Results : Total 371 healthy people were included. There were 189 women. Their age
ranged from 3rd decades to 8th decades. Complete measurement of all the indices was
done in 225 people. Left ventricular wall thickness, aorta size, left atrial size and left
ventricular mass in M-mode echocardiographic measurement changed significantly with
the increase of age (p<0.005). In 2-dimensional echocardiographic examination,
sinotubular junction diameter of the aorta, anteroposterior & superoinferior diameters of
left atrium, both ventricular outflow tract diameter and main pulmonary artery diameter
changed with the increase of age (p<0.01). Diastolic dysfunction became prominent with
the increase of age in Doppler examination.
Conclusions : We conclude that these data could be used as the standard criteria for
echocardiographic examination in Korea. However, age factor should be considered when
they are applied because many echocardiographic indices change significantly with the
increase of age.
|