Noninvasive evaluation of pulmonary capillary wedge pressure in patients with acute myocardial infarction by deceleration time of pulmonary venous flow velocity in diastole.
OBJECTIVE
This study investigates the correlation between deceleration time of diastolic pulmonary venous flow (PV-DT) and of early filling mitral flow (LV-DT), and pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP) in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI).


BACKGROUND
An earlier study suggests that Doppler-derived LV-DT provides an accurate means of estimating PCWP in postinfarction patients with left ventricular systolic dysfunction. Furthermore, recent studies have suggested that PCWP correlates better with PV-DT than with LV-DT. However, the value of PV-DT and LV-DT for assessment of PCWP in patients with AMI has not been evaluated.


METHODS
In 141 consecutive patients with AMI, we measured PV-DT and LV-DT by Doppler echocardiography, and compared these variables with PCWP measured using a Swan-Ganz catheter.


RESULTS
There was a weak negative correlation between the LV-DT and PCWP (r = -0.54). Although the sensitivity of < or =130 ms in LV-DT in predicting > or =18 mm Hg in PCWP was high (86%), its specificity was low (59%). On the other hand, a very close negative correlation was found between PV-DT and PCWP (r = -0.89). The sensitivity and specificity of < or =160 ms in PV-DT in predicting > or =18 mm Hg in PCWP were 97% and 96%, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
In patients with AMI, Doppler-derived PV-DT showed a stronger correlation with PCWP than LV-DT.
Yamamuro
A
A
Division of Cardiology, Kobe General Hospital, Japan. jse@warp-or-jp
Yoshida
K
K
Hozumi
T
T
Akasaka
T
T
Takagi
T
T
Kaji
S
S
Kawamoto
T
T
Yoshikawa
J
J
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D003654:Deceleration; D003971:Diastole / Q000502:physiology*; D018619:Echocardiography, Doppler, Pulsed; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008943:Mitral Valve / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology*; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011664:Pulmonary Valve / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology*; D011669:Pulmonary Wedge Pressure; D012039:Regional Blood Flow; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity