Abstract:Objective To study the value of ultrasonic cardiac output monitor (USCOM) in assessing the left ventricular function of critically ill neonates.Methods Seventy-three critically ill neonates admitted to our hospital from January 2017 to December 2018 were selected and assigned to non-shock group (n = 34) and shock group (n = 39) according to the presence or absence of shock. Another 37 healthy neonates undergoing physical examinations in our hospital during the same period were enrolled as control group. USCOM was applied to monitor the left ventricular function, and the its clinical value for assessing the left ventricular function of critically ill neonates was analyzed.Results There was no difference in heart rate and ejection fraction among the groups (P > 0.05). The stroke volume, stroke volume index, cardiac output and cardiac index in the shock group were lower than those in the control group and the non-shock group (P < 0.05), and they were even lower in the non-shock group compared with the control group (P < 0.05). The peak velocity, velocity time integral, and flow time were lower, but the peripheral resistance and vascular resistance index were higher in the shock group than those in the control group and non-shock group (P < 0.05). Compared with the control group, the peak velocity, velocity time integral, and flow time were lower, but the peripheral resistance and vascular resistance index were higher in the non-shock group (P < 0.05).Conclusions USCOM is able to effectively monitor the left ventricular function and analyze the hemodynamics of critically ill neonates, thereby providing references for clinical interventions. Thus, USCOM should be more widely adopted in the clinical practice.