[Differences in reference values in 2-dimensional echocardiography in men and women].

A total of 126 voluntary blood donors (90 men, mean age 30 +/- 0.5 yrs, and 36 women, mean age 34 +/- 0.5 yrs) were examined to establish standards for two-dimensional echocardiography. The maximal width of the left ventricle (LV), the thickness of the interventricular septum (IVS) and of the posterior wall (PW) during systole (s) and diastole (d), the systolic dimension of the left atrium (LA) and the diastolic dimension of the aorta (Ao) and right ventricle (RV) were determined. The measurements were performed from the short parasternal axis. Significantly larger dimensions for LV(s), LV(d), IVS(s), IVS(d)(p less than 0.001) and for LA(s) and PW(d) (p less than 0.01) were measured in men as compared to women. No significant intersexual differences were observed in the other parameters studied or in their calculated ratios (LA/Ao, IVS/PW, ejection fraction and fractional shortening LV, IVS, PW). It can be concluded that exact measurements in correlation studies with two-dimensional echocardiography require corresponding parameter values for body surface area.