The average weight of the heart in mature babies dying after asphyxiation at birth was greater than in controls matched for birth weight. Diagnosis at necropsy included cardiac hypertrophy of both ventricles in several instances.There was a tendency for heart weight to increase beyond that expected for birth weight, the longer the baby survived. This indicated developing hypertrophy, because there is normally little change in the first month.The observation is discussed in the light of other evidence implicating failure of the left ventricle as an early event in babies who become ill after undue asphyxia at birth.
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