The need for echocardiographic reference values in adults over 80 years of age

Aims: Most published material about echocardiographic reference values includes healthy individuals up to the ages of 60-70, but values for older individuals are rare to come across. The overall aim of this study is to develop echocardiographic reference values to better understand the structure and function of the heart for people above 80 years old. The current manuscript describes the motivations and methods used in the present research study. Materials and Methods: The Octogenarian Population Ultrasound Screening (OctoPUS) study was conducted at Östersunds Hospital, Sweden. The study population consisted of 475 individuals recruited either through an advertisement or from the group of individuals without known cardiovascular diseases that were referred to echocardiographic examination for other reasons. The study participants underwent in a simultaneous manner a standard transthoracic two-dimensional echocardiography that included myocardial strain imaging and a three-dimensional echocardiography. Discussion: The results of the present study on known and new echocardiographic variables will focus on people above 80 years old or elderly individuals. Conclusions: The OctoPUS study will contribute to a better understanding of the effects of aging on cardiac function in the cardiovascular healthy general population.