| This study examined factors contributing to the differences in left ventricular mass as measured by Doppler echocardiography in children.; It is concluded that left ventricular mass was not statistically different between pre-adolescent boys and girls suggesting that hormonal, and therefore, body size changes in adolescence have a main effect on cardiac development and its final outcome. Although body size parameters were the strongest correlates of left ventricular mass in this pre-adolescent group of children, to our knowledge, this is the first study to report that sexual maturation, as well as physical activity and fitness, are also strongly associated with left ventricular mass in pre-adolescents, especially young females. Arterial variables, such as systolic blood pressure and carotid pulse pressure, are not strong determinants of left ventricular mass in this pre-adolescent group. In general, these data suggest that although there are no gender differences in the absolute values of left ventricular mass, as children grow, the factors that determine cardiac mass differ between the genders, even in the same pre-adolescent age. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)... |
