Effects of posture on left ventricular diastolic filling during exercise.
BACKGROUND
Measuring the transmitral flow velocity with Doppler echocardiography is a useful method for evaluating left ventricular diastolic function. However, there are few data regarding the effect of posture during exercise on transmitral flow velocity.


METHODS
The transmitral flow velocity with pulsed-wave Doppler echocardiography was measured during supine and upright bicycle ergometer exercise in 10 normal young men without cardiac disease (26.7 +/- 5.5 yr).


RESULTS
The ratio of the early rapid filling wave to the atrial filling wave (E/A) was gradually decreased with increasing exercise intensity. At rest and during recovery, the E/A ratio was significantly higher (P < 0.01) in the supine position than in the upright position. This difference was caused mainly by the higher E wave in the supine position. However, E wave and E/A ratio did not differ between the upright and supine position during exercise.


CONCLUSIONS
Although measurement of left ventricular filling is completely noninvasive and clinically useful for evaluating diastolic function, it was found that the E/A ratio was profoundly influenced by posture and exercise intensity. These results suggest that the potential influences of posture and exercise intensity on the filling velocities should be taken into account when interpreting diastolic function by Doppler echocardiography.
Sato
A
A
Second Department of Internal Medicine, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Japan.
Koike
A
A
Koyama
Y
Y
Yajima
T
T
Marumo
F
F
Hiroe
M
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D016279:Atrial Function, Left / Q000502:physiology; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000502:physiology; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D002302:Cardiac Output / Q000502:physiology*; D003971:Diastole; D018619:Echocardiography, Doppler, Pulsed; D005080:Exercise Test; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008943:Mitral Valve / Q000502:physiology; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000502:physiology; D005082:Physical Exertion / Q000502:physiology*; D011187:Posture / Q000502:physiology*; D012146:Rest / Q000502:physiology; D016683:Supine Position / Q000502:physiology; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left / Q000502:physiology*