title: Echocardiographic evaluation of left ventricular end-systolic elastance in the elderly.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aging heart is characterized by structural changes, which are implicated in the development of left ventricular diastolic dysfunction. However, important changes in systolic function may also occur. Left ventricular end-systolic elastance (E(es)) is a major determinant of cardiac systolic function and ventricular-arterial interaction.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate left-ventricular E(es) in elderly subjects compared with adult control subjects.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied dilated (DA, n=14) and hypertensive (HA, n=21) cardiomyopathy patients, and both adult control (A, n=25; age 55.6+/-6.6 years) and elderly (E, n=25; age 76.3+/-7.1 years) subjects without clinical-instrumental evidence of cardiovascular disease. M-mode, two-dimensional, and pulsed Doppler echocardiogram were performed. Doppler-derived indices of diastolic function were assessed and E(es) was calculated by a modified single-beat method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  E(es) was reduced in dilated cardiomyopathy (1.32+/-0.10 mm Hg/ml) and increased in hypertensive cardiomyopathy (3.12+/-0.33 mm Hg/ml) patients compared to age-matched control subjects (1.96+/-0.26 mm Hg/ml; p<0.01 and p<0.05, respectively). More importantly, E(es) was higher in the elderly (2.52+/-0.70 mm Hg/ml) than in the adult control group (p<0.05) and was linearly correlated with age (r2=0.639; p<0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Age-related increase in E(es), together with diastolic dysfunction, may lead to aging heart decompensation.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica, Scienze Cardiovascolari ed Immunologiche, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Via S. Pansini, 5, 80131 Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: de Santis
authors.forename: Pasquale
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Abete
authors.forename: Gianluca
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Testa
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cacciatore
authors.forename: Gianluigi
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Galizia
authors.forename: Dario
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Leosco
authors.forename: Luisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Viati
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Del Villano
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Della Morte
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mazzella
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ferrara
authors.forename: Franco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rengo
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013599:Systole / Q000502:physiology*; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler; D018617:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Pulsed; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology*