Objectives: The aim of the study was to evaluate the role of myocardial performance index (Tei index) in the assessment of ischemic cardiac damage in neonates with respiratory distress and perinatal asphyxia.
Patients and Methods: This is a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted on 40 neonates in the NICU of Bab-El Shaarya University Hospital in 6 months period from January 2018 to June 2018. They were 22 males and 18 females with post-natal age 1-7 days, 15 with perinatal asphyxia (group1), 15 with respiratory distress(group2) and 10 normal as a control group(group3). Detailed history, thorough clinical examination, chest x-ray, ECG, Two-Dimensional echo, M- mode and Doppler (pulsed &tissue) echocardiographic examinations with the measurement of myocardial performance index ((ICT "isometric contraction time"-IRT "isometric relaxation time")/ET "ejection time") of the left and right ventricles.
Results: There was statistically significant increase in the-myocardial performance index in group 1&2than group3.
There was inverse relationship between Tei index and each of ejection fraction and fraction shortening and there was statistically significant correlation between LV Tei index and gestational age.
Conclusion: Tei index was higher in neonates with respiratory distress and neonates with perinatal asphyxia than in normal neonates despite normal or even increased ejection fraction which indicates that these patients may have subclinical ventricular dysfunction which should be followed up carefully.
Recommendation: Tei index is recommended to assess ventricular function in neonates with respiratory distress or perinatal asphyxia as our study revealed that it is not affected by age or heart rate and it doesn't depend on ventricular geometry.