Assessment of Left Ventricular Diastolic Dysfunction by Intraventricular Dispersion of Early Diastolic Filling

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Analysis of mitral flow velocity pattern provides useful variables in the assessment of left ventricular diastolic dysfuntion, but are affected by loading conditions or presence of atrial fibrillation. Thus we assessed intraventricular diastolic flow velocity profile in order to assessment of left ventricular diastolic dysfuntion. METHODS: The study population consisted of 20 subjects with normal left ventricular function(including 7 patients with atrial fibrillation only), 15 patients with hypertensive heart disease, and 14 patients with dilated cardiomyopathy. The flow velocity pattern at the mitral tip was recorded simultaneously with regional pulsed Doppler diastolic velocity patterns at 1, 2, or 3 cm from the mitral tip toward the apex. RESULTS: Inteh normal subjects, early diastolic flow velocity at the mitral tip was maintained at the positions 1 to 3cm away from the tip into the left ventricular carvity. In patients with dilated cardiomyopathy or hypertensive heart disease, peak early diastolic flow velocity decreased form the mitral tip toward the apex more progressively than in the subjects with normal left ventricular function. The same findings were obtained in selected patients group with atrial fibrillation or a normalized mitral flow velocity pattern. CONCLUSION: The assessments of the intraventricular dispersion in peak early diastolic flow velocity may be useful in detecting left ventricular diastolic dysfuntion, particularly in patients with atrial fibrillation or a normalized mitral flow velocity pattern.