title: A simple Doppler echocardiography method to evaluate pulmonary capillary wedge pressure in patients with atrial fibrillation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The accuracy of E/E' ratio has not been validated in atrial fibrillation (AF). The objective of this study is to compare the accuracy of the E/E' ratio averaged over a sample of 10 cardiac cycles and E/E' ratio obtained in the cycle with the longest RR interval for the estimation of wedge pressure in patients with AF using a simultaneous pulmonary artery occlusive pressure measured with a Swan-Ganz catheter.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-four consecutive patients with AF with a Swan-Ganz catheter were recruited in this study. The majority of patients (92%) were in the early postoperative phase of cardiac surgery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The best sensitivity and specificity was reached with E/E' ratio in the medial position using the one-beat method; E/E' ratio > or = 16 with one beat predicts a wedge pressure >15 mmHg with a sensitivity and specificity of 91% and 85%, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Measuring E/E' ratio using the one-beat method is a simple and clinically accurate way to estimate wedge pressure in patients with AF.
authors.affiliation: Quebec Heart Institute, Laval Hospital, Québec, Canada. mario.senechal@crhl.ulaval.ca
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sénéchal
authors.forename: Kim
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: O'Connor
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Deblois
authors.forename: Julien
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Magne
authors.forename: Jean-Gaston
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Dumesnil
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pibarot
authors.forename: Sébastien
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bergeron
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Poirier
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002407:Catheterization, Swan-Ganz; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011669:Pulmonary Wedge Pressure / Q000502:physiology*