Aortic valve calcium is associated with left ventricular diastolic function in patients without evidence of ischaemic heart disease: assessment by gated single-photon emission computed tomography.

BACKGROUND: Several studies have shown that aortic valve calcium (AVC) is associated with cardiovascular events. Furthermore, the extent of AVC is associated with adverse prognosis even in patients without significant aortic stenosis. We investigated the relationship between AVC and left ventricular (LV) diastolic parameters determined by gated single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) in patients with no evidence of ischaemic heart disease. METHODS: This study included 157 patients with no evidence of ischaemic heart disease who underwent both coronary computed tomography and gated SPECT. The AVC scores were calculated by the Agatston method, and peak filling rate (PFR) and one-third mean filling rate (1/3 MFR) were determined as LV diastolic parameters. RESULTS: There were 93 (59%) and 64 (41%) patients with and without AVC, respectively, and the AVC scores ranged from 0 to 1251. There was no significant difference in LV end-diastolic volume (EDV) (60 ± 18 vs 62 ± 25 mL, p = 0.52) or LV ejection fraction (67% ± 10% vs 66% ± 8%, p = 0.60) between the two groups. Patients with AVC had lower PFR (2.2 ± 0.5 vs 2.4 ± 0.5 EDV/s, p = 0.002) and 1/3 MFR (1.3 ± 0.3 vs 1.5 ± 0.4 EDV/s, p = 0.003) than those without AVC. Multivariate linear regression analysis showed that ln(AVC score + 1) was significantly associated with PFR and 1/3 MFR. CONCLUSION: In patients without evidence of ischaemic heart disease, the extent of AVC was inversely correlated with gated SPECT-derived parameters of LV diastolic function.

Associations of left ventricular shape with left ventricular volumes and functions assessed by ECG-gated SPECT in patients without significant perfusion abnormality.

Left ventricular (LV) remodeling often results from conditions with an elevated LV hemodynamic load or after myocardial infarction. The present study was undertaken to investigate the associations of LV shape with LV volumes and functions in patients without significant perfusion abnormality. One hundred and sixty-seven patients without significant perfusion abnormality on ECG-gated SPECT were enrolled. LV ejection fraction (LVEF) was obtained for assessing LV systolic function. Peak filling rate (PFR) and one-third mean filling rate (1/3 MFR) were obtained for assessing LV diastolic function. LV shape index (LVSI) was defined as the ratio of the maximum three-dimensional short- and long-axis LV dimension, and varies from 0 (line) to 1 (sphere). There were 125 male and 42 female patients with a mean age of 70 ± 8 years. End-systolic LVSI was 0.49 ± 0.07 (0.34-0.65). End-systolic LVSI was associated with LV end-diastolic volume (r = 0.51, p < 0.001) and LV end-systolic volume (LVESV) (r = 0.64, p < 0.001), and was inversely associated with LVEF (r = - 0.69, p < 0.001), PFR (r = - 0.45, p < 0.001) and 1/3 MFR (r = - 0.26, p = 0.008). End-systolic LVSI was increased with increased LVESV, and was not any more with LVESV of > 40 ml. Multivariate liner regression analysis showed that age (ß = 0.16, p = 0.01), LVESV (ß = 0.20, p = 0.03) and LVEF (ß = - 0.53, p < 0.001) were significantly associated with end-systolic LVSI. Our data suggest that end-systolic LVSI, a measurement of LV shape, has close correlations with LV volumes and functions in patients without significant perfusion abnormality.