BackgroundKnowledge about age-specific normal values for left ventricular mass (LVM), end-diastolic volume (EDV), end-systolic volume (ESV), stroke volume (SV) and ejection fraction (EF) by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) is of importance to differentiate between health and disease and to assess the severity of disease. The aims of the study were to determine age and gender specific normal reference values and to explore the normal physiological variation of these parameters from adolescence to late adulthood, in a cross sectional study.MethodsGradient echo CMR was performed at 1.5 T in 96 healthy volunteers (11–81 years, 50 male). Gender-specific analysis of parameters was undertaken in both absolute values and adjusted for body surface area (BSA).ResultsAge and gender specific normal ranges for LV volumes, mass and function are presented from the second through the eighth decade of life. LVM, ESV and EDV rose during adolescence and declined in adulthood. SV and EF decreased with age. Compared to adult females, adult males had higher BSA-adjusted values of EDV (p = 0.006) and ESV (p < 0.001), similar SV (p = 0.51) and lower EF (p = 0.014). No gender differences were seen in the youngest, 11–15 year, age range.ConclusionLV volumes, mass and function vary over a broad age range in healthy individuals. LV volumes and mass both rise in adolescence and decline with age. EF showed a rapid decline in adolescence compared to changes throughout adulthood. These findings demonstrate the need for age and gender specific normal ranges for clinical use.

Obese adolescents had a higher LVM than age-matched lean subjects, which correlated mainly with body mass index and systolic blood pressure. These findings add to the established cardiovascular risk profile of obese adolescents.

Normal LVM shows variation over a broad age range in both genders with a rise in adolescence and subsequent decline with increasing age in adulthood despite an increase in SBP and physical activity. BSA, age, and gender were found to be major contributors to the variation in LVM in healthy adults, while haemodynamic factors, exercise, and wall stress were not.

CorrigendumPhysiological determinants of the variation in left ventricular mass from early adolescence to late adulthood in healthy subjects. Clin Physiol Funct Imaging (2005), Cain et al.The above mentioned article 1 contained the errors listed below. The authors identified these errors during the process of writing a second article based on the same study population.Following these changes, all levels of statistical significance were effectively unchanged and the conclusions remained unchanged. 1. Age was erroneously reported for all 20 adolescents by +1 year. 2. Mistaken classification of subjects with regards to inclusion and exclusion criteria led to the erroneous inclusion of five adult subjects which fulfilled the following exclusion criteria: the presence or history of hypertension (n ¼ 1), cardiac disease (n ¼ 1) or systemic disease (n ¼ 3). 3. One data point for Figure 4 was mistakenly missing.Due to 1., 2. and 3. above, minor changes have been made to Tables 1 and 2 Clin Physiol Funct Imaging (2007) 27, pp254-262 doi: 10.1111/j.1475