Maximal longitudinal contraction velocity in assessment of left ventricular systolic function: a pulsed tissue Doppler and M-mode study

AIMS: During recent years the maximal longitudinal contraction velocity (MLCV), measured by either pulsed tissue Doppler or M-mode, has been suggested as an index of left ventricular (LV) systolic function. The aims of the present study were to compare MLCV with ejection fraction (EF) in consecutive patients with known or suspected heart failure and to compare measures from recordings by pulsed tissue Doppler with recordings by M-mode. METHODS AND RESULTS: Sixty-four consecutive patients with suspected or known heart failure, referred to echocardiography, were included. Twelve of these patients had decreased LV systolic function defined as EF < 50% calculated by the biplane Simpson's rule, while a significantly (P > 0.05) higher proportion of 23 had decreased function defined as decreased MLCV recorded by pulsed tissue Doppler. Measures from M-mode recordings were significantly lower (P < 0.001) than the corresponding measures from tissue Doppler recordings. CONCLUSIONS: The study shows that higher values of MLCV are obtained by pulsed tissue Doppler than by M-mode. Reference values can therefore not be used interchangeably. The results also suggest that MLCV is a more sensitive index of LV systolic function than EF.