title: Reduced diastolic left ventricular posterior wall motion in patients with constrictive pericarditis--incidence, hemodynamic and clinical correlations.
abstract: In 24 patients with constrictive pericarditis proven by cardiac catheterization, the amplitude of diastolic left ventricular posterior wall motion was evaluated by M-mode echocardiography and compared to the results of 24 healthy volunteers. The amplitude was significantly less in constrictive pericarditis patients than in normal controls (0.3 +/- 0.2 mm versus 3.9 +/- 0.4 mm) (P less than 0.001). No constrictive pericarditis patient demonstrated a higher value than 2 mm whereas none of the healthy volunteers had an amplitude less than 3 mm. In 11 of 13 constrictive pericarditis patients who underwent pericardiectomy, an increase in amplitude was observed. In 6 patients the amplitude returned to normal limits after surgery. No significant correlation between the degree of heart failure or the level of left ventricular end-diastolic pressure and the reduction of the amplitude was found. In addition, the amplitude of left ventricular diastolic posterior wall motion did not allow a clear separation between patients who could be treated medically and those requiring pericardiectomy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School Hannover, F.R.G.
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Trappe
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Herrmann
authors.forename: W G
authors.initials: WG
authors.lastname: Daniel
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Frank
authors.forename: P R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Lichtlen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006328:Cardiac Catheterization; D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009200:Myocardial Contraction; D010492:Pericardiectomy; D010494:Pericarditis, Constrictive / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery