Additional value of pulmonary vein parameters in defining pseudonormalization of mitral inflow pattern.
BACKGROUND
An echocardiographic assessment of left ventricular (LV) diastolic dysfunction is still challenging when identifying a pseudonormal mitral pattern (PSE) in an unselected population. The present study analyzed and compared the accuracy of various parameters in correctly identifying a PSE pattern in patients with a broad range of ejection fraction (EF) and degree of mitral regurgitation.


METHODS
Eighty-two patients with E/A > or = 1 and an invasive determination of left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP) were enrolled in the study. Mitral E wave (E(max)) and A (A(max)) velocities, E (DTe) and A (DTa) deceleration times, pulmonary vein systolic and diastolic velocities, and time velocity integrals were measured. The different duration between mitral and pulmonary vein A wave (A'-A) also was calculated. E(max) and E/A during Valsalva maneuver were measured and expressed as percentage compared with baseline. LV end-diastolic (LVD), end-systolic (LVS), and EF were measured from the apical four-chambers view (area-length method). Left atrial end-systolic (LA(max)) and end-diastolic (LA(min)) were measured from the apical four- and two-chambers views (area-length method). Left atrial filling volume (LA(fill)) was the difference between LA(max) and LA(min). Mitral regurgitant volume was estimated by the following equation: MR(vol) = 6.18 + (1.01 * LA(fill)) - (0.783 * PVs %).


RESULTS
Thirty-two patients (age: 55 +/- 21 years; 75% male) had LVEDP < or = 18 mmHg and were classified as normal mitral pattern (Group 1). Fifty patients (age: 57 +/- 22 years; 76% male) had LVEDP > 18 mmHg, and were classified accordingly as having PSE (Group 2). At logistic univariate analysis, DTa (0.005), LV EF (0.01), A'-A (< 0.0001) and % E/A (0.03) were the more powerful predictors of PSE. A'-A had the highest global accuracy in identifying PSE in patients with reduced (90%) and normal (88%) LV EF.


CONCLUSIONS
A'-A has the highest accuracy in identifying PSE in an unselected population. This parameters should be implemented in routine echocardiography since it allows additional information about LV diastolic function assessment.
Rossi
A
A
Division of Cardiology, University of Verona, Ospedale Maggiore, P. le Stefani 1, 37126 Verona, Italy. arossi@cardiovr.univr.it
Loredana
L
L
Cicoira
M
M
Bonapace
S
S
Zanolla
L
L
Zardini
P
P
Golia
G
G
D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000502:physiology; D004452:Echocardiography; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008943:Mitral Valve / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008944:Mitral Valve Insufficiency / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011667:Pulmonary Veins / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012372:ROC Curve; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013318:Stroke Volume / Q000502:physiology