Objective To investigate the clinical value of echocardiography in assessing the cardiac function and structure of preterm neonates. Methods A retrospective analysis was performed for the clinical data of 81 preterm neonates who were born in Zhangzhou Zhengxing Hospital from February 2022 to February 2024, and according to their gestational age, they were divided into low gestational age group (≤29 weeks + 6 days) with 26 neonates, moderate gestational age group (30-33 weeks + 6 days) with 27 neonates, and late gestational age group (34-36 weeks + 6 days) with 28 neonates. Echocardiography was performed for all three groups, and body weight, heart rate, cardiac function, and cardiac structure were compared between the three groups. The Pearson correlation analysis was used to investigate the correlation of cardiac function and structure indicators with body weight and heart rate. Results Compared with the low gestational age group, the moderate gestational age group and the late gestational age group had a significantly higher body weight and a significantly lower heart rate, and compared with the moderate gestational age group, the late gestational age group had a significantly higher body weight and a significantly lower heart rate (P<0.05). Compared with the low gestational age group, the moderate gestational age group and the late gestational age group had significantly higher values of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), left ventricular fractional shortening (LVFS), mitral annular plane systolic excursion (MAPSE), tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE), and peak diastolic velocity (E)/peak diastolic velocity (A) ratio, and the late gestational age group had significantly higher values than the moderate gestational age group (P<0.05). Compared with the low gestational age group, the moderate gestational age group and the late gestational age group had significantly higher values of left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVDd), right ventricular end-diastolic diameter (RVDd), left ventricular posterior wall thickness in diastole (LVPWd), interventricular septum end-diastolic thickness (IVSd), end-diastolic aortic root diameter (AOD), left atrial end-systolic diameter (LADs), left ventricular end-systolic diameter (LVDs), and end-systolic main pulmonary artery diameter (MPA), and the late gestational age group had significantly higher values than the moderate gestational age group (P<0.05). The Pearson correlation analysis showed that the gestational age and body weight of preterm neonates were positively correlated with LVEF, LVFS, MAPSE, TAPSE, E/A ratio, LVDd, RVDd, LVPWd, IVSd, AOD, LADs, LVDs, and MPA, and heart rate was negatively correlated with LVEF, LVFS, MAPSE, TAPSE, E/A ratio, LVDd, RVDd, LVPWd, IVSd, AOD, LADs, LVDs, and MPA (P<0.05). Conclusion Echocardiography can record and evaluate the changes in cardiac function and structure in preterm neonates with different gestational ages, and the gestational age and body weight of preterm neonates are positively correlated with the changes in cardiac function and structure, while heart rate is negatively correlated with the changes in cardiac function and structure.

Objective To investigate the clinical effect of Qiju Danggui Shaoyao decoction combined with Wupi decoction in the treatment of gestational hypertension. Methods A total of 86 patients with gestational hypertension who were admitted to Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Yunxiao Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, from January 2022 to January 2024 were enrolled and divided into Western medicine group and study group by coin tossing at a ratio of 1:1. The patients in the Western medicine group were given oral administration of Western medicine, and those in the study group were given Qiju Danggui Shaoyao decoction combined with Wupi decoction in addition to the treatment in the control group. The two groups were compared in terms of clinical outcome and adverse pregnancy outcomes, as well as traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndrome score, 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure, and serum factors before and after treatment. Results The study group had a significantly higher overall response rate than the Western medicine group (95.35% vs 79.07%, P <0.05). Both groups had significant reductions in TCM syndrome scores after 6 weeks of treatment, and the study group had significantly greater reductions than the control group (P <0.05). Both groups had significant reductions in 24-hour mean systolic and diastolic pressure after 6 weeks of treatment, and the study group had significantly greater reductions than the control group (P <0.05). After 6 weeks of treatment, both groups had significant increases in the levels of vascular endothelial growth factor, matrix metallopeptidase-9, and nitric oxide and a significant reduction in the level of endothelin-1, and the study group had significantly greater changes than the control group (P <0.05). The study group had a significantly lower incidence rate of adverse pregnancy outcomes than the control group (4.65% vs 25.58%, P <0.05). Conclusion Qiju Danggui Shaoyao decoction combined with Wupi decoction has a marked clinical effect in patients with gestational hypertension and can significantly reduce TCM syndrome scores and 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure and improve serum factors and pregnancy outcome.