Frequency of left ventricular diastolic dysfunction by mitral doppler in healthy elderly individuals.
BACKGROUND
Healthy elderly individuals present alterations in mitral Doppler velocities, which are characteristic of left ventricular (LV) diastolic dysfunction with impaired relaxation.


OBJECTIVE
To determine the frequency of LV diastolic dysfunction by mitral Doppler in healthy elderly individuals and identify clinical and echocardiographic characteristics associated to this finding.


METHODS
Seventy-three apparently healthy individuals (64% women, aged 60 to 80) were carefully selected and submitted to clinical, laboratory and Doppler-echocardiographic assessment, with particular regard to the characteristics of the mitral flow.


RESULTS
A total of 33 patients (45%) presented an impaired LV relaxation pattern (group I), characterized by the association between the maximum velocities of the mitral wave flow (E/A ratio) <0.75 or E-wave deceleration time >240 ms, and 40 (55%) with a normal pattern (group II). Group I presented a larger aortic root diameter (32.1 + or - 4.2 vs 30.3 + or - 3.3 mm; p = 0.044) and a longer PR interval (156 + or - 22 vs 139 + or - 23 ms; p = 0.002).


CONCLUSIONS
A large proportion of individuals aged 60 to 80 years present normal diastolic function at the Doppler-echocardiographic assessment of the mitral flow. Healthy elderly individuals with impaired LV relaxation filling have a larger aortic root diameter and longer PR interval.
Alves-Silva
Luiz Sérgio
LS
Hospital Universitário Prof. Edgard Santos, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, BA, Brasil. lsergio@cardiol.br
Câmara
Edmundo José Nassri
EJ
Souza
Carlos Alfredo Marcílio de
CA
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008943:Mitral Valve / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*