Tissue Doppler to Assess Diastolic Left Ventricular Function

Doppler indices of left ventricular (LV) filling have been used traditionally for the assessment of LV diastolic function. In many circumstances, however, the interpretation of these indices is difficult because they respond to alterations of different physiological variables such as preload, relaxation, and heart rate. A typical example of their limitation is seen in patients with abnormal LV relaxation and increased preload compensation, who often present a "pseudonormal" LV filling pattern. Thus, there is a need for noninvasive indices of diastolic function capable of discriminating the effects of relaxation and preload. Tissue Doppler echocardiography (TDE) is available in most modern cardiac ultrasound imaging systems. TDE can be used to obtain regional myocardial velocities during isovolumic relaxation, early filling, and atrial systole with high spatial and temporal resolution. This article discusses the complementary role, limitations, and future challenges of TDE in the study of diastolic function.     

Reference Values of Tissue Doppler Imaging and Pulsed Doppler Echocardiography for Analysis of Left Ventricular Diastolic Function in Healthy Adults

To determine reference values for tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) and pulsed Doppler echocardiography for left ventricular diastolic function analysis in a healthy Brazilian adult population. Observations were based on a randomly selected healthy population from the city of Vitória, Espírito Santo, Brazil. Healthy volunteers (n = 275, 61.7% women) without prior histories of cardiovascular disease underwent transthoracic echocardiography. We analyzed 175 individuals by TDI and evaluated mitral annulus E′‐ and A′‐waves from the septum (S) and lateral wall (L) to calculate E′/A′ ratios. Using pulsed Doppler echocardiography, we further analyzed the mitral E‐ and A‐waves, E/A ratios, isovolumetric relaxation times (IRTs), and deceleration times (DTs) of 275 individuals. Pulsed Doppler mitral inflow mean values for men were as follows: E‐wave: 71 ± 16 cm/sec, A‐wave: 68 ± 15 cm/sec, IRT: 74.8 ± 9.2 ms, DT: 206 ± 32.3 ms, E/A ratio: 1.1 ± 0.3. Pulsed Doppler mitral inflow mean values for women were as follows: E‐wave: 76 ± 17, A‐wave: 69 ± 14 cm/sec, IRT: 71.2 ± 10.5 ms, DT: 197 ± 33.3 ms, E/A ratio: 1.1 ± 0.3. IRT and DT values were higher in men than in women (P = 0.04 and P = 0.007, respectively). TDI values in men were as follows: E′S: 11± 3 cm/sec, A′S: 13 ± 2 cm/sec, E′S/A′S: 0.89 ± 0.2, E′L: 14 ± 3 cm/sec, A′L: 14 ± 2 cm/sec, E′L/A′L: 1.1± 0.4. E‐wave/ E′S ratio: 6.9 ± 2.2; E‐wave / E′L ratio: 4.9 ± 1.7. In this study, we determined pulsed Doppler and TDI derived parameters for left ventricular diastolic function in a large sample of healthy Brazilian adults. (Echocardiography 2010;27:777‐782)     

彩色M型多普勒超声评价高血压病人的左室舒张功能

目的 应用彩色M型多普勒超声心动图测量舒张早期左室内血流传播速度(vp)，评价高血压病人的左室舒张功能。方法 高血压组195例(50岁以下者23例；50—70岁者101例；70岁以上者71例)。正常对照组136例(如岁以下者53例；50—70岁者50例；70岁以上者33例)。取心尖四腔或二腔心平面测量左室内血流传播速度(Vp)，二尖瓣和肺静脉血流曲线。结果 高血压病人的Vp值较正常人降低(P＜0．01)，血流形态异常。结论 应用彩色M型多普勒超声心动图测量舒张早期左室内血流传播速度，不受心脏负荷及年龄的影响，作为评价高血压病人左室舒张功能的指标有临床意义。     

A Novel Noninvasive Method to Assess Left Ventricular −dP/dt Using Diastolic Blood Pressure and Isovolumic Relaxation Time

Background: Left ventricular Doppler‐derived ?dP/dt determined from the continuous‐wave Doppler spectrum of the mitral regurgitation (MR) jet has been shown to be a valuable marker of diastolic function, but requires the presence of MR for its assessment. We sought to determine if a novel method of determining ?dP/dt using the diastolic blood pressure and isovolumic relaxation time (DBP‐IVRT method) correlates with Doppler‐derived ?dP/dt using the MR method (Doppler‐MR method). Methods: Thirty‐three patients with less than severe MR were enrolled. ?dP/dt was determined using the Doppler‐MR method from the continuous‐wave Doppler spectrum of the MR jet (32 mmHg/time from 3 to 1 m/sec). ?dP/dt was also determined using the DBP‐IVRT method using the following equation: ?dP/dt = (DBP ? LVEDP)/IVRT, where left ventricular end‐diastolic pressure (LVEDP) was estimated based on tissue Doppler and mitral inflow patterns. Results: Twenty‐five patients had adequate Doppler waveforms for analysis. The average amount of MR was mild‐to‐moderate severity. The mean ?dP/dt was 680 ± 201 mmHg by the Doppler‐MR method and 681 ± 237 mmHg by the DBP‐IVRT method. There was a significant correlation between the 2 methods of determining ?dP/dt (Pearson r = 0.574, P = 0.003). The Bland–Altman plot revealed almost no bias between the 2 methods; the difference in ?dP/dt between the 2 techniques was noted to be greater for patients with higher ?dP/dt, however. Conclusion: Diastolic blood pressure and isovolumic relaxation time may be used to noninvasively assess diastolic function in patients who do not have MR, especially in those with reduced diastolic function.     

运动负荷多谱勒超声心动图观察高血压病人的左室舒张功能

目的 :观察运动负荷状态下高血压病人和正常人左室舒张功能的改变及差别。方法 :高血压病人及正常对照各 15例 ,二组超声心动图 2 DE观察和 M型测量心内结构均正常 ,静息状态下左室收缩、舒张功能正常。进行卧位踏车运动 ,从心尖四腔图取二尖瓣血流频谱 ,观察 E峰流速 (VE)、A峰流速 (VA)、E峰流速时间总积分 (ETVI)、A峰流速时间总积分 (ATVI)、总流速积分(TTVI)、ATVI/ TTVI、VE/ A,于 70、80、90、10 0次 /分心率时分别测量 ,进行组内不同心率时及同一心率时二组间比较。结果 :组内比较 VE各心率组组内无差异。VA高血压组 80次/分开始加速 ,对照组 10 0次 /分显加速。ETVI高血压组 90次/分开始减小 ,对照组各心率组均无差异。 ATVI高血压组 90次 /分开始增大 ,对照组各心率组无差异。 ATVI/ TTVI高血压组 80次 /分开始增大 ,对照组 10 0次 /分开始增大。VE/ A高血压组 80次 /分开始下降 ,对照组 10 0次 /分开始下降。组间比较心率 80次 /分开始 VE/ A高血压组明显低于对照组 ,心率 90、10 0次 /分时高血压组较对照组 VA明显增快 ,ETVI减小 ,ATVI增大 ,ATVI/ TTVI增大。结论 :运动负荷状态下高血压病人较正常人舒张功能改变出现得早。运动负荷超声心动图是一种简便、无创的评价心脏代偿功能的方法     

多普勒组织显像技术评价左室舒张功能的研究进展

左室舒张功能障碍在心血管疾病中很常见,二尖瓣血流频谱是评价左室舒张功能障碍的经典方法,但存在不足。多普勒组织显像技术是一项应用多普勒原理分析心肌组织运动的新技术,包括心肌速度显像、定量组织速度显像、组织追踪以及应变/应变率,这些方法为评价左室舒张功能提供更多、更有益的信息。     

脉冲多普勒超声心动检测肺静脉血流与左室舒张压的相关性研究

研究经胸脉冲式多普勒超声心动图所检测的肺静脉血流与左室舒张压的相关性。对35例患者的超声心动图及左室造影进行观察，分析肺静脉血流与二尖瓣血流频谱所获指标与左室舒张庄关系。静脉血流A波间期和二尖瓣血流A波间期之差（d－dif）与左室舒张末压呈显著正相关性（r＝0．5658，P＜0．001），以d－dif判断左室舒张功能不全（LVEDP＞15mmHg）的敏感性为75．0％，特异性为86．7％。d－dif与Pre－A和LVa亦具有正相关性（P＜0．01）。d－dif是一项能够较为准确地反映左室舒张压变化的指标。     

Tissue Doppler Combined with Pulsed‐Wave Doppler Echocardiography for Evaluating Ventricular Diastolic Function in Normal Children

Background: The ratio of the peak transmitral velocity during early diastole (E) to the peak mitral valve annular velocity during early diastole (E′) obtained by tissue Doppler imaging correlates with the left ventricular end‐diastolic pressure in adults. However, the E/E′ ratio has not been established in normal children. The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of age on the various tissue Doppler indices of ventricular diastolic function. Methods: The subjects in this study included 174 children with normal cardiac function. The left and right ventricular inflow velocities were recorded, and the peak of late diastolic flow velocities (A), E, and the ratio of E/A were determined. The following tissue Doppler indices were obtained: peak velocities of early and late diastolic mitral annulus in the left ventricular lateral wall (E’l and A’l) and in the interventricular septum (E’se and A’se) and those of the lateral tricuspid annulus in the right ventricle, E’r and A’r. Results: The E’l and the E’se increased with age up to 5 years after birth, after which they became constant. The E’r was constant after birth. The E’l/A’l and E’se/A’se increased with age up to 5 years after birth, after which they became constant. The E’r/A’r was constant after birth. The Em/E’se and Em/E’l decreased with age up to 5 years after birth, after which they became constant. The Et/E’r was constant after birth. Conclusion: The age‐related changes suggest age‐related alterations in left ventricular diastolic function. Right ventricular diastolic function is constant after birth. (Echocardiography 2011;28:93‐96)     

Regional Left Ventricular Diastolic Dysfunction Evaluated by Pulsed-Tissue Doppler Echocardiography

Pulsed-wave Doppler tissue imaging (DTI) allows the examination of regional wall motion at a very high temporal resolution and therefore constitutes an excellent technique for assessing diastolic motion of left ventricular walls. Regional relaxation has been well characterized in normal subjects using this technique, and physiological time intervals and motion wave profiles are described. In an experimental model of acute ischemia, local relaxation impairment was observed showing highly characteristic local diastolic abnormalities. Interestingly, these findings took place before any decrease in systolic motion was recordable. In a prospective clinical study, noninvasive regional DTI parameters were compared with coronary angiography to assess the feasibility and clinical value of the technique; the diagnostic accuracy is discussed in detail. Also, the association between regional diastolic parameters and global regional function as assessed by Doppler analysis of transmitral left ventricular filling flow was studied, stressing the impact of regional diastolic function on overall ventricular performance. Finally, the diagnostic role of pulsed-wave DTI on stress testing, identification of myocardial viability, and microvascular angina is reviewed.     

Aortic Upper Wall Tissue Doppler Image Velocity: Relation to Aortic Elasticity and Left Ventricular Diastolic Function

Background: Aortic stiffening contributes to the left ventricular (LV) afterload, hypertrophy, and substrate for diastolic dysfunction. It is also known that aortic elastic properties could be investigated with color tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) in aortic upper wall. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the relation of aortic upper wall TDI and aortic stiffness and other parameters of LV diastolic function. Methods: We examined aortic upper wall by TDI at the 3 cm above the aortic valves because of patient's chest discomfort or dyspnea. We excluded the patient with arterial hypertension or reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) or significant valvular heart disease. So a total of 126 (mean age 53.8 ± 13.9 years, male 49.2%) patients were enrolled in this study and divided normal LV filling group (N = 31) and abnormal LV filling group (N = 95). Results: Aortic upper wall early systolic velocity and late diastolic velocity were not different between the two groups. Only aortic upper wall early diastolic velocity (AWEDV) was related to aortic stiffness index (r =−0.25, P = 0.008), distensibility (r = 0.28, P = 0.003), early diastolic (Em) (r = 0.45, P = 0.001), E/Em (r =−0.26, P = 0.003), and significantly reduced in abnormal LV filling group (6.19 ± 2.50 vs 8.18 ± 2.87, P = 0.001). Conclusions: AWEDV is decreased significantly in abnormal LV filling patients. It is statistically related to aortic stiffness, distensibility and parameters of abnormal LV filling, Em, E/Em. TDI velocity of the aortic upper wall can be a helpful tool for evaluating aortic stiffness, distensibility, and diastolic function.     

The Natural History of Left Ventricular Filling Abnormalities: Assessment by Two-Dimensional and Doppler Echocardiography

Doppler and two-dimensional echocardiography are being increasingly used for the indirect assessment of left ventricular (LV) diastolic function. In this article the alterations in LV filling patterns that occur in patients with LV diastolic function are reviewed in the context of echocardiographic findings. A progression of LV filling abnormalities is presented in the sequential "stages" in which we believe they occur in most cardiac disease states. Patient symptoms, hemodynamics, pulmonary venous flow velocities, and left atrial function associated with the different LV filling patterns are also discussed.     

Altered Early Left Ventricular Diastolic Wall Velocities in Pulmonary Hypertension: A Tissue Doppler Study

Background: Left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) is known to occur in severe chronic pulmonary hypertension (PH); however, the mechanism(s) remains unclear. Methods: Tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) was used to track early (E) diastolic signals of basal and mid portions of the interventricular septum (IS) and LV free wall (LVFw) in 20 patients (60 ± 8 years) with documented LVDD without PH and in 30 patients (60 ± 11 years) with known chronic PH. All subjects were in normal sinus rhythm and had normal LV ejection fraction. Results: PH patients had lower early (E) wave velocities in basal IS (–4.2 ± 1.9 vs. –5.9 ± 1.2 cm/sec; P < 0.001), distal IS (–2.6 ± 2.6 vs. –4.2 ± 1.1 cm/sec; P < 0.01), and basal LVFw (–5.2 ± 1.7 vs. –6.5 ± 1.2 cm/sec; P < 0.01) than patients with LVDD and no PH. Finally, worsening PH distorts the entire IS diastolic tracing resulting in asynchronous diastolic signals. Conclusions: The presence of PH not only decreases IS early (E) wave diastolic velocity generation but also distorts the entire pattern of IS diastolic relaxation when compared to patients with typical LVDD and no PH. Further studies are now needed to assess the full effect of PH on LV diastole and how this influences clinical outcomes. (ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY, Volume 26, November 2009)     

Contribution of the Diastolic Vortex Ring to Left Ventricular Filling

Background

Intraventricular fluid dynamics can be assessed clinically using imaging. The contribution of vortex structures to left ventricular (LV) diastolic function has never been quantified in vivo.

Objectives

This study sought to understand the impact of intraventricular flow patterns on filling and to assess whether impaired fluid dynamics may be a source of diastolic dysfunction.

Methods

Two-dimensional flow velocity fields from color Doppler echocardiographic sequences were obtained in 20 patients with nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy (NIDCM), 20 patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), and 20 control healthy volunteers. Using a flow decomposition method, we isolated the rotational velocity generated by the vortex ring from the surrounding flow in the left ventricle.

Results

The vortex was responsible for entering 13 ± 6% of filling volume in the control group and 19 ± 8% in the NIDCM group (p = 0.004), but only 5 ± 5% in the HCM group (p < 0.0001 vs. controls). Favorable vortical effects on intraventricular pressure gradients were observed in the control and NIDCM groups but not in HCM patients. Differences in chamber sphericity explained variations in the vortex contribution to filling between groups (p < 0.005).

Conclusions

The diastolic vortex is responsible for entering a significant fraction of LV filling volume at no energetic or pressure cost. Thus, intraventricular fluid mechanics are an important determinant of global chamber LV operative stiffness. Reduced stiffness in NIDCM is partially related to enhanced vorticity. Conversely, impaired vortex generation is an unreported mechanism of diastolic dysfunction in HCM and probably other causes of concentric remodeling.     

Left Ventricular Diastolic Function in Idiopathic Cardiomyopathy: Doppler Hemodynamic Correlations

The left ventricular diastolic filling pattern in congestive cardiomyopathy is heterogeneous and may vary from a "rapid filling predominant pattern" to an "atrial filling predominant pattern." The observed pattern of diastolic filling may depend on a complex interaction of factors including: left ventricular relaxation, left ventricular stiffness, external constraining forces, loading conditions, and heart rate. These factors appear to express themselves individually and collectively through alterations in the time course and extent of the transmitral pressure gradient. In this review, the physiological basis for each of these diastolic filling patterns is discussed based on previous clinical and experimental studies that either directly or indirectly address these issues. (ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY, Volume 8, March 1991)     

Effect of Cibenzoline,a Class Ia Antiarrhythmic Agent,on Left Ventricular Diastolic Function in Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy

We aimed to investigate whether the improvement of left ventricular (LV) diastolic function by cibenzoline, a class Ia antiarrhythmic drug, in hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM) is due to LV afterload reduction or a primary lusitropic effect on LV. Twenty-three patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (11; HOCM, 12; non-obstructive HCM; HNCM) were examined. Pulsed-wave Doppler, color M-mode and tissue Doppler echocardiography were performed before and 90 minutes after oral administration of cibenzoline (300 mg), and were compared with a treatment of bisoprolol (5 mg/day, 10 days). Early (E) and late diastolic LV inflow velocity, E flow propagation velocity (FPV) and early diastolic mitral annulus velocity (Ea) were measured. E/FPV and E/Ea were calculated as indices of LV filling pressure. LV outflow pressure gradients estimated using continuous-wave Doppler in HOCM markedly decreased after cibenzoline (83 +/- 42 to 40 +/- 33 mmHg, p < 0.005) and bisoprolol (44 +/- 40 mmHg, p < 0.005). Following cibenzoline, E/FPV and E/Ea were significantly decreased in both HOCM (1.75 +/- 0.53 to 1.32 +/- 0.28, p < 0.05, 18.9 +/- 6.2 to 14.8 +/- 5.0, p < 0.05, respectively) and HNCM (1.75 +/- 0.58 to 1.41 +/- 0.73, p< 0.05, 13.0 +/- 4.3 to 9.7 +/- 3.6, p< 0.01, respectively). Those in HNCM did not change by bisoprolol. Cibenzoline improved LV diastolic function in HCM, whereas bisoprolol did not affect it. Thus, the primary lusitropic effect of cibenzoline rather than LV after load reduction might have contributed to the improvement of diastolic function in HOCM.     

高血压病左室舒张功能异常超声心动图各项指标相关性分析

应用脉冲多普勒超声法测定39例较中度高血压病（EH）患者和正常人左室舒张功能各项参数，进行相关性分析，结果显示：EH组PVE变小，PVA增大，PVE／PVA比值缩小，IRT延长，LVmass和LVmI增加，LAD增大，均与对照组相差显著（P＜0．05～0001）。PVE／PVA，IRT和LVmass均与MAP呈相关性（r＝－0.37，0．37，0．41）；LVmass与PVE／PVA，IRT，LAD和LVmI相关性好（r＝－0．41，0．38，0．53，0．96）；且IRT与PVE／PVA呈负相关（r＝－0．43）。研究表明，EH患者早期常出现左室舒张功能异常，测量PVE／PVA及IRT便捷、直观。左室舒张功能受累还常伴有左房内径扩大和LVmI增加。     

Systolic and Diastolic Ventricular Function Assessed by Tissue Doppler Imaging in Children with Chronic Kidney Disease

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is associated with elevated cardiovascular risk even during childhood. Tissue Doppler is a sensitive technique for the assessment of ventricular dysfunction with relatively little data available in children with CKD. We report a prospective cross‐sectional echocardiographic study at a tertiary center. Forty‐nine patients with median (range) age 11.2 years (6.9–17.9), weight 39.6 kg (23.6–99.7) and height 146 cm (122–185). Thirty‐one patients were male. Median duration of follow‐up for CKD was 7.1 years (range 0.13–16.9). Patients were in CKD stage 3 (n = 37) or 4 (n = 12). Mitral valve E‐wave, A‐wave, and E/A ratio showed mean (SD) z‐scores of 0.08 (0.93), 0.12 (0.82) and ?0.13 (0.84), respectively. Tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) at the lateral mitral valve annulus showed e′, a′, s′, and E/e′ z‐scores mean (SD) ?1.10 (0.76), ?0.29 (0.92), ?1.2 (0.7), and 0.86 (1.1), respectively. There was a significant negative correlation of e′ and s′ z‐score with patient age. E/e′ ratio correlated positively with patient age. Blood pressure, left ventricular mass, and relative wall thickness did not correlate with tissue Doppler measurements. The e′ and s′ velocities correlated significantly with each other, suggesting an interaction of systolic and diastolic dysfunction. Children with CKD may have abnormalities of systolic and diastolic ventricular function on TDI, which are not evident on blood pool Doppler. The tissue Doppler results are consistent with worsening ventricular function in older patients.     

Effect of Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy on Left Ventricular Diastolic Function: Implications for Clinical Outcome

BackgroundThe definition of response to cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) remains controversial, with variable rates of response depending on the criteria used. Our aim was to analyze the impact of CRT on diastolic function in different degrees of response, particularly in patients with positive clinical but no echocardiographic response.Methods and ResultsIn 250 CRT patients clinical evaluation and echocardiography were performed before and after CRT. Absolute response to CRT was defined as a reduction in left ventricular (LV) end-systolic volume of ≥15% at 1-year follow-up. Additionally, patients were classified into 4 subgroups according to their amount of response: extensive reverse remodeling (RR), slight RR, clinical response without RR, and neither clinical response nor RR. An improvement in estimates of LV filling pressure and a decrease in left atrial dimensions were observed only in responders to CRT. Patients with clinical but no echocardiographic response had significant improvement in E-wave and deceleration time and nonsignificant improvement in other parameters.ConclusionsLV diastolic function improves with CRT. Clinical responders without echocardiographic response show improvement in parameters of diastolic function. That suggests that clinical-only response to CRT is secondary to a real effect of the therapy, rather than a placebo effect.