ABSTRACT
Objective To determine whether pulmonary arterial hypertension(PAH) and pulmonary venous hypertension (PVH) can be differentiated noninvasively by echocardiography. Methods Fifty-six patients with pulmonary arterial systolic pressure(PASP) ≥40 mmHg by echocardiography were involved,and cardiac catheterization performed within 7 days of each other. Based on left ventricular end-diastolic pressure or pulmonary capillary wedge pressure(PCWP) ,30 patients were classified as PAH group and 26 patients as PVH group. The early(E) and late(A) diastolic mitral inflow velocities,E/A ratios,deceleration time(DT),early dastlic mitrial annular velocity(E') and E/E' ratios were measured by conventional and Doppler tissue imaging echocardiography in the two groups. Results Compared with PVH group,the PAH group had significantly higher A,DT,PASP and E',and significantly lower E,E/A ratio and E/E' ratio (P < 0. 01 or P <0. 001). E/E' and E/A ratio was optimal indexes for differentiation of PAH and PVH,the area under receiver operating characteristic curve was 97% and 91 %, respectively. Optimal cutoff for diagnosing PVH was E/E'>9.2 (sensitivity 95%, specificity 97%) and E/A> 1. 7 (sensitivity 75%,specificity 92%). Conclusions PAH and PVH imaging can be reliably differentiated by echocardiography.
ABSTRACT
Objective To evaluate the effect of external direct current shock on left atrial(LA) diamension and volumes after cardioversion for atrial fibrillation(AF) and the relation between LA size and function.Methods The initial study population included 68 patients with AF.According to cardioversion patterns, the patients were divided randomly into cardioversion with direct-current shock(36 patients) and cardioversion with drugs(32 patients). Echocardiographic evaluations included LA size and volume,LA passive and active emptying volumes were calculated,and LA function was measured as LA ejection force (LAEF).The correlation between LA diameters and volumes and LA systolic function was analyzed. Results LA was dilated in all the patients during AF and the superior-infra dimensions of LA decreased after restoration of sinus rhythm in the patients reverted with external direct current shock and the patients reverted with durgs (P
