ABSTRACT
Objective To observe the post-systolic shortening (PSS) during isovolumic relaxation phase and its clinical significance in regional myocardium in chronic heart failure (CHF) patients.MethodsLeft ventricular regional myocardium movement in 60 CHF patients (CHF group) and 30 healthy volunteers (control group) were assessed with tissue velocity imaging (TVI). QLAB software was used to measure the systolic peak velocity (V_s), regional systolic time (T_s), post-systolic shortening velocity (V_(pss)) and post-systolic shortening time (T_(pss)) at the basal and middle levels of left ventricle. Results In CHF patients, the rate of isovolumic relaxation phase PSS was 34.44% both in basal and mid segments, the rate of pathological PSS was 29.44% and 29.72%, respectively. The rate of isovolumic relaxation phase PSS in control group was 26.11% and 20.56%, respectively; none pathological PPS occured. Compared with the physiological PSS of control group, the pathological PSS of CHF group had a higher peak velocity and a longer time (P<0.05). Conclusion The pathological PSS of CHF patients has high peak velocity and long duration, which may be one of the causes leading to the asynchronous movement of left ventricle in CHF.