Tissue Doppler velocities of mitral annulus and NT-proBNP in patients with heart failure.
BACKGROUND
It has been shown that pulsed wave tissue Doppler velocities of mitral annulus correlate well with left ventricular (LV) diastolic and systolic functions. It is not yet clear whether these velocities can be used to estimate left ventricular dysfunction in an unselected population of patients with clinical signs and symptoms of heart failure (HF).


OBJECTIVE
To determine whether LV mitral annulus velocities measured by tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) correlate with plasma N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) levels in patients with HF.


RESULTS
Early diastolic (E(m)) and systolic (S(m)) TDI velocities of septal and lateral mitral annulus were measured in 50 patients with HF together with other conventional echocardiographic parameters, and compared with plasma NT-proBNP levels. Significant correlations were found between NT-proBNP level and E(m) velocity (r=-0.79), S(m) velocity (r=-0.43), early transmitral to E(m) velocity ratio (r=0.38), LV end diastolic diameter (r=0.29), LV ejection fraction (r=-0.44) and tricuspid regurgitant velocity (r=0.31). In multiple regression model (R(2)=0.733), the E(m) velocity was the most important predictor of NT-proBNP level.


CONCLUSIONS
Early diastolic mitral annulus velocity measured by TDI correlates strongly with plasma NT-proBNP levels, and provides a simple, accurate and reproducible echocardiographic index of heart failure.
Tretjak
Martin
M
Department of Cardiology, General Hospital Slovenj Gradec, Gosposvetska 1, 2380 Slovenj Gradec, Slovenia. martin.tretjak@siol.net
Verovnik
Franc
F
Benko
Davorin
D
Kozelj
Mirta
M
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008943:Mitral Valve / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain / Q000097:blood*; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000097:blood*; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left
D010446:Peptide Fragments; C109794:pro-brain natriuretic peptide (1-76); D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain