From the echocardiography database at a tertiary care center, 1,625 subjects (mean age, 44 6 14 years; 47% men) with normal echocardiographic findings between 2000 and 2009 were identified. Gender dif- ferences and association with body surface area were assessed retrospectively for right atrial long-axis and short-axis dimensions, right ventricular short-axis dimension, end-diastolic and end-systolic right ventricular area, right ventricular fractional area change, and tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion. The impact of nor- mal values stratified for gender and body surface area was tested in 24 patients with moderate-sized to large atrial septal defects.
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There are no controls so it is neither, rather a descriptive study – Apr 25 '13 at 18:37
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Here is the link to the abstract for others who would like to know more and chime in.
In my opinion, strictly speaking neither.
It is not case-control because case-control studies select participants based on the presence and absence of an outcome. In this case, only people without clinical indication (aka with normal echocardiographic results) were included.
It is not a complete retrospective cohort study because there isn't any exposure or outcome defined.
If it's a multiple choice question and these are the two answers, I would slightly lean to retrospective cohort because given the data collection method, the study can be modified into one. Otherwise, I would just describe it as a survey of historic records attempting to construct a set of reference normal values.
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