斑点追踪显像技术对糖尿病患者左心室舒张功能的研究

目的 探讨斑点追踪显像技术评价糖尿病患者左室舒张功能早期改变的价值.方法 45例正常人及36例糖尿病患者,分别测量左室心尖长轴18节段每个节段纵向应变率(SrL)和基底段、中间段、心尖段各段平均SrL的舒张早期E′峰值和晚期A′峰值,及短轴各水平总体圆周应变率(SrC)、径向应变率(SrR)和旋转率(RotR)的E′和A′,计算E′/A′、解旋率(Untw R)和解旋减半时间(HTU),同时测量左心常规超声指标.结果 与对照组相比,糖尿病组15个节段SrL的E′、16个节段的E′/A′降低,14个节段的A′升高;对照组各节段总体SrL、SrC的E′及SrL、SrC、SrR的E′/A′降低,SrL、SrC、SrR的A′及RotR的E′和E′/A′升高;两组左心常规超声指标、Untw R和HTU的差异无统计学意义.结论 糖尿病患者左室舒张功能受损的早期改变是SrL和SrC的降低,RotR的增加以及SrL、SrR运动规律的消失.     

Reference ranges for tissue Doppler measures of maternal systolic and diastolic left ventricular function.

OBJECTIVES: Tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) is an echocardiographic technique that evaluates longitudinal myocardial tissue velocities during left ventricular systolic and diastolic function, relatively independently of loading conditions. Limited data are available regarding maternal cardiac function using TDI. The aim of this study was to construct reference charts for TDI indices in normal pregnancy. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study on 104 pregnant women at 11-38 weeks of gestation and 19 non-pregnant controls. Doppler echocardiography was used to assess transmitral inflow velocities during diastole (peak velocity of early (E) and late (A) atrial filling), whilst TDI at the septal and lateral margins of the mitral annulus measured diastolic velocities (peak velocity of early (E') and late (A') diastolic filling) and peak systolic velocity (S'). The left ventricular filling index (E : E' ratio) was derived. The Tei index (ratio of isovolumetric time to ejection time) was measured. RESULTS: Systolic function assessed by TDI S' velocity was unaltered at the septal and lateral margins, although S' velocity at the lateral margin was higher (12%, P = 0.028) in the first two trimesters, compared to non-pregnant controls. Diastolic function was modified as demonstrated by an increase in A velocity (P P = 0.024). Similarly, A' increased at the septal and lateral margins ( P < 0.001 and P = 0.02, respectively), resulting in a decrease in E' : A' ratios at the septal and lateral mitral margins ( P = 0.001 and P = 0.001, respectively). E : E' at both mitral margins and Tei index were unaltered. CONCLUSION: This study gives normal ranges for TDI indices in pregnancy. TDI demonstrated modified longitudinal systolic and diastolic function. Future studies will evaluate the potential of this technique in pregnancies complicated by hypertension and cardiac disease. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Factors associated with mitral annular systolic and diastolic velocities in healthy adults.

BACKGROUND: Measurements of systolic mitral annular velocity (S'), early diastolic mitral annular velocity (E'), and late diastolic mitral annular velocity (A') are used to assess left ventricular (LV) function. OBJECTIVE: We sought to investigate the relationship between septal and lateral annular velocities and determine whether these velocities are related to body size (including body mass index [BMI]), heart rate (HR), blood pressure, or LV mass. METHODS: A total of 60 healthy participants who were normotensive, between age 20 and 52 years, underwent standard echocardiography and measurement of septal and lateral S', E', and A'. RESULTS: The lateral velocity exceeded the septal velocity for S', E', and A'. There was only weak to moderate correlation between the velocities at the two sites (r = 0.43-0.60). Septal S' was positively correlated with height and HR, and lateral S' was correlated with HR. Septal E' was negatively correlated with age, BMI, LV mass, and diastolic blood pressure, but lateral E' was only negatively correlated with age and BMI. Septal A' was positively correlated with age, HR, and BMI, whereas lateral A' was only positively associated with age. CONCLUSIONS: S', E', and A' are not only of different magnitudes at the septal and lateral sites, but are not closely correlated. There are relationships between annular velocities and body size, HR, blood pressure, and LV mass that differ between the septal and lateral annulus, providing a possible explanation for the lack of close correlation in these velocities and suggesting that these variables may need to be considered when interpreting annular velocities.     

Left ventricular diastolic function assessment by tissue Doppler echocardiography in relation to hormonal replacement therapy in postmenopausal women with diastolic dysfunction

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) regimens on left ventricular diastolic function by using mitral pulsed wave Doppler (MPWD) and tissue Doppler velocities (TDE). Seventy-eight postmenopausal women with normotensive and impaired diastolic left ventricular filling were included in the study. All the patients began a six-cycle HRT course. This formulation consisted of E2 valerate plus Medroxy progesterone acetate (MPA). Left ventricular diastolic function at rest was evaluated by M-mode, two-dimensional, MPWD and TDE in 78 postmenopausal women with normal blood pressure before the treatment for 6 months of HRT. The M-mode, two-dimensional, and MPWD parameters assessed were heart rate, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, left ventricular mass index, ejection fraction of the left ventricle (EF), septal (IVS) and posterior wall (PW) thickness, left ventricular end-systolic (LVESD) and end-diastolic (LVEDD) diameter, left atrial diameter, peak early diastolic velocity (E), peak atrial velocity (A), E/A ratio, E acceleration time, E deceleration time, diastolic filling period, and isovolumic relaxation time (IVRT). The TDE parameters assessed were peak early diastolic velocity (E'), peak late diastolic velocity (A'), peak systolic velocity, E'/A' ratio, E' acceleration time, E' deceleration time, IVRT', and E/E' ratio. Quantitative data were analyzed using Student t test. Among the MPWD parameters, peak A velocity, E deceleration time, and IVRT significantly decreased, while peak E velocity and E/A ratio increased after a 6-month treatment. From the point of TDE parameters, E' velocity and E'/A' ratio increased, while A' velocity, E' deceleration time, E/E' ratio and IVRT' decreased. Some MPWD and TDE parameters were partially reversed after HRT. TDE velocities and especially E/E' ratio may provide better and true information of the diastolic function. TDE parameters were independent from the preload and did not produce pseudonormal pattern. HRT may cause increase in the blood volume and produce pseudonormal pattern in transmitral flow. In that case, TDE may be a beneficial method for evaluation of diastolic function.     

智能超声定量和彩色动力图技术检测犬急性心肌梗塞早期左室功能及室壁运动

在二维超声心动图（2DE）基础上、用智能超声定量（AQi）和彩色动力图（CK）检测犬急性心肌梗塞早期左室功能和室壁运动。2DE示冠状动脉闭塞后，局部心肌很快变薄，运动减弱或矛盾运动。随之梗塞区室壁向外膨出，室壁瘤样改变，左室腔逐渐不规则扩大。AQi清楚显现出左室心内膜边缘，其波形和数字显示表明结扎后左室的收缩功能（EF值）和舒张功能（PFR和TPFR值）均降低，与结扎前有显著性差异（P＜0.05）。结扎后无论收缩或舒张期梗塞区内膜壁CK图像与非梗塞区显著不同，梗塞区的彩色位移明显降低。     

组织多普勒速度成像评价慢性肾脏疾病患者的左心功能

目的采用组织多普勒速度成像(TVI)评价慢性肾脏疾病患者透析前的左心功能变化。方法应用传统超声心动图、TVI两种方法分别检测30例慢性肾病患者和20例健康人的心脏功能,并结合生化值进行分析。结果TVI较传统超声心动图能更好地反映左心舒张功能障碍,更早地检出潜在的左心功能异常。病情较重的慢性肾脏疾病患者存在较明显的左心舒张功能障碍,其收缩压与E’值明显相关(r=-0.68)、E’/A’比值与收缩压(r=-0.60)及甲状旁腺激素(PTH,r=-0.64)明显相关。结论TVI能更好地揭示收缩压、PIH增高与左心舒张功能障碍的关系,较传统超声心动图更早地诊断慢性肾功能疾病患者的左心功能异常。     

超声心动图评价左心室收缩失同步

目的 应用组织多普勒及常规超声心动图观察左束支传导阻滞患者左心室心肌收缩运动失同步.方法 完全性左束支传导阻滞者(LBBB)20例,正常对照者20例.定量组织多普勒测量左室基底及中段共12个节段的收缩达峰时间(TS),并计算其变异系数(标准差/均值)作为收缩不同步指数(SDI).同时测量心肌做功指数(MPI)、左室射血分数(EF)及充盈时间(FT).结果 与正常组相比,LBBB组的患者左室收缩明显延迟,12个节段TS的均值明显延长(P<0.001).其SDI显著增大(P<0.001).LBBB组的MPI增大,EF、FT均显著减小(P<0.001).结论 LBBB患者的左室壁各节段出现不同程度的收缩延迟,对左室的整体功能存在影响.定量组织多普勒观察心室电-机械耦联情况,结合对左室整体功能的测定,可以综合评价左心室收缩的失同步.     

斑点追踪显像对原发性高血压患者早期左心室舒缩功能改变的评价

目的 探讨斑点追踪显像(STI)评价原发性高血压(EH)患者早期左心室舒缩功能改变的价值.方法 65例左室正常构型(LVN)的EH患者,其中33例为无左房扩大(NLAE)者,32例为左房扩大(LAE)者,45例正常人,测量长轴三节段纵向应变率(SrL)和短轴三水平径向应变率(SrR)、圆周应变率(SrC)及旋转率(RotR)的收缩期S峰值、舒张早期E'峰值、舒张晚期A'峰值及E'/A'值.结果 NLAE和LAE组SrL的A'在三节段间和SrR的S和A'及SrE的S在三水平间差异无统计学意义.②与正常组相比,NLAE组和LAE组SrL的S和E'及SrL、SrR和SrC的E'/A'降低,SrL、SrR和SrC的A'及RotR的E'升高.结论 STI检测EH患者早期左心室功能的受损不仅为舒张功能,而且收缩功能亦同时受累.     

Interstudy reproducibility of parameters of left ventricular diastolic function: a Doppler echocardiography study.

BACKGROUND AND METHODS: Interstudy reproducibility of echocardiography for the assessment of parameters of left ventricular (LV) diastolic function is disputed. Therefore, we evaluated the reproducibility of echocardiography for assessment of LV diastolic Doppler parameters in 40 consecutive patients (age range: 19-77 years), who underwent 2 echocardiographic examinations by trained sonographers following a standard protocol, in conditions in which intrapatient sources of variability were minimized. RESULTS: Interstudy reproducibility of measurements of the ratio of early (E) to late (A) peak velocities of transmitral flow (E/A) at tips of the mitral valve leaflets was found to be very good and substantially greater than analogous measurement obtained at mitral annulus level. Reproducibility of measurement of atrial filling fraction was good both at tips of mitral leaflets and at annular level. Interstudy reproducibility of isovolumic relaxation time and E-wave deceleration time was moderate. Measurements of E-wave propagation rate and the ratio of early (E') to late (A') peak velocities of diastolic excursion of lateral mitral annulus (E'/A') by Doppler tissue were found highly reproducible. Intrastudy between-reading reproducibility of Doppler parameters of LV diastolic function were overall very good, except for E-wave deceleration time. However, 80% confidence interval of absolute between-study differences of diastolic parameters were relatively large, and ranged from -0.11 to +0.19 for E/A at tips of mitral valve; -5 to +9 cm/s for E-wave propagation rate; and -0.69 to +0.19 for Doppler tissue-derived E'/A'. CONCLUSIONS: Under a standardized echocardiographic protocol and sonographers' training program, echocardiography can be a reproducible method for serial assessment of Doppler parameters of LV diastolic function, especially in cohort studies.     

组织多普勒成像评价急性心肌梗死患者自体骨髓干细胞移植治疗后左室舒张功能

目的应用组织多普勒成像(TDI)技术评价心肌干细胞移植治疗急性心肌梗死对左室舒张功能的影响。方法自体骨髓干细胞移植治疗急性心肌梗死患者共26例,随访3个月,治疗前、后用TDI技术分别测量左室二尖瓣环水平的收缩期峰值速度(Sm),舒张早期峰值速度(Em),舒张晚期峰值速度(Am)及Em/Am,并与血流多普勒指标E峰速度(E),A峰速度(A)、E/A及E峰减速时间(EDT)进行比较,评价自体骨髓干细胞移植治疗急性心肌梗死对左室舒张功能的影响。结果治疗后EDT较治疗前降低(P<0.05),治疗后Em及Em/Am较治疗前升高(P<0.05),治疗后E、A、E/A、Sm、Am较治疗前比较差异无统计学意义。结论自体骨髓干细胞移植治疗急性心肌梗死后,左室舒张功能明显改善,TDI技术在评价左室舒张功能方面较二尖瓣血流频谱更准确、敏感。     

Impact of altered loading conditions on ventricular performance in fetuses with congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation and twin-twin transfusion syndrome.

OBJECTIVES: In the fetus with a structurally normal heart, two conditions--giant chest mass, such as congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation (CCAM), and twin-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS)--alter ventricular loading conditions and may result in cardiovascular compromise. The aim of this study was to elucidate the mechanism of cardiovascular dysfunction by comparing geometry-independent, Doppler flow-derived measures of ventricular performance in fetuses with altered loading conditions vs. those in normal fetuses. METHODS: Doppler flow-derived measures of myocardial performance index (MPI) as described by Tei, ventricular ejection force as described by Isaaz, and combined cardiac output (CCO) were obtained by echocardiography in fetuses with a normal cardiovascular system (n = 76) or CCAM (n = 36) and fetal partners with TTTS (n = 22). RESULTS: In the CCAM group, systolic performance as evidenced by the ejection forces was preserved, right ventricular (RV) MPI was increased and CCO diminished, suggesting diastolic dysfunction and poor filling secondary to cardiac compression and a tamponade effect. In TTTS, recipient twins exhibited greater left ventricular (LV) ejection forces and higher CCO than donor twins, and had abnormal RV and LV MPI, reflecting increased preload, preserved left systolic performance, but diastolic dysfunction. Donor twins had diminished ejection forces and CCO in comparison with normal controls and recipient partners, reflecting hypovolemia. CONCLUSIONS: In both CCAM and recipient twins of the TTTS, diastolic dysfunction plays a significant role in the pathophysiology of each disorder and precedes changes in systolic performance. Measures of ventricular performance can help elucidate poorly understood mechanisms of cardiovascular compromise in the developing fetus.     

The association between left ventricular diastolic function and a mild-to-moderate decrease in glomerular filtration rate in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

This prospective study evaluated the relationship between echocardiography parameters of left ventricular (LV) diastolic function and mild-to-moderate renal function impairment in 82 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. The mean age of the patients was 61.1 years. A significant correlation was found between estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and the ratio of peak velocity of early transmitral flow (E) to peak velocity of early diastolic mitral annular motion (E'). Cluster analysis revealed two subgroups of patients with different E' values but comparable eGFRs. The correlation between eGFR and E/E' was significant in 38 patients with E' ≤ 7.1 cm/s, but not significant in 44 patients with E' > 7.1 cm/s. The results suggest that the deterioration of LV relaxation (E') represents the underlying condition for the association between mild-to-moderate renal function impairment and the non-invasive parameter of LV end-diastolic pressure (E/E'), in patients with type 2 diabetes without any previous cardiovascular event and with well-controlled blood pressure.     

Early changes in left ventricular volume and function are predictors for long-term remodeling in patients with acute transmural myocardial infarction and preserved systolic function.

BACKGROUND: We sought to describe the degree of long-term left ventricular (LV) remodeling after acute transmural myocardial infarction with preserved LV systolic function, and to evaluate whether Doppler echocardiographic parameters in the early phase could predict this process. METHODS: A total of 60 patients without heart failure and with LV ejection fraction > or = 0.40 (mean 0.48 +/- 0.054), were followed up with Doppler echocardiographic examinations at baseline, 3 months, and 1 and 2 years. RESULTS: There was a significant increase in LV end-diastolic volume index of 7% (P =.006) and LV end-systolic volume index of 8% (P =.03), and no change in ejection fraction. This remodeling was confined to 7 patients (12%) with a significant increase in LV end-diastolic volume index above 20 mL/m(2). There was also a significant increase in the deceleration time of both the early mitral filling wave (Delta early mitral filling wave = 58 milliseconds, P <.0005) and the diastolic forward component of pulmonary venous flow (Delta diastolic forward component of pulmonary venous flow = 61 milliseconds, P <.0005), and a shift in filling pattern with increasing prevalence of abnormal relaxation. Changes in end-diastolic volume index were predicted by baseline early mitral filling wave less than 100 milliseconds, but the most powerful predictors of 2-year remodeling were volume changes at 3 months. CONCLUSION: Twelve percent of patients with Q-wave infarction and ejection fraction > or = 0.40 experienced significant LV dilatation at 2 years, and this late remodeling was partly related to baseline filling characteristics.     

Early detection of myocardial dysfunction in children with beta-thalassaemia major

To evaluate left and right ventricular myocardial performance using pulsed-tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) and its relation to BNP levels in patients with beta-thalassaemia major (ß-TM). We enrolled 36 thalassaemic patients (21 male, 15 female; mean age: 14.2 ± 4.1 years) with normal left ventricular systolic and diastolic functions with conventional echocardiography and 30 healthy control subjects (18 male, 12 female, and 12.5 ± 4.2 years). Myocardial performance indexes (MPI) of left ventricular (LV) lateral wall, interventricular septum (IVS) and right ventricular (RV) lateral wall were calculated with TDI. Plasma BNP levels were measured in all patients. MPIs and other echocardiographic parameters of patients with ß-TM were compared with control group. All the patients’ plasma BNP levels were within normal limits. There were no differences between conventional echocardiographic parameters of patients and control group. MPI of LV, IVS, and RV of patients were significantly higher than control group (P = 0.01, and P < 0.01, and P < 0.001, respectively). Our study confirms that MPI obtained by TDI seems to be an early sensitive parameter of cardiac dysfunction in ß-TM. We concluded that MPI obtained by TDI may be an adjunctive parameter to conventional echocardiography for detecting early myocardial damage.     

Impact of mitral E/A ratio on the accuracy of different echocardiographic indices to estimate left ventricular end-diastolic pressure

The objective was to determine the influence of left ventricular (LV) inflow pattern on the accuracy of different echocardiographic indices for estimation of LV end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP). Echocardiography with color tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) and LVEDP measurements using fluid-filled catheters were performed in 176 consecutive patients on the same day. Mitral peak diastolic velocities (E, A) and the difference in duration between pulmonary venous retrograde velocity and mitral A-velocity (PV(R)-A) were recorded by pulsed Doppler. Propagation velocity of the early mitral inflow (V(P)) was assessed using color M-mode. Early diastolic longitudinal (E'(lat)) and radial (E'(radial)) velocities of mitral annulus were measured by TDI. Area under ROC curve (AUC) for prediction of elevated LVEDP (> or =15 mm Hg) was computed for each parameter. For E/A > or =1 (98 patients, 46 with elevated LVEDP), the AUC values were: PV(R)-A: 0.914; E/E'(lat): 0.780; E/E'(radial): 0.729; E/V(P): 0.712 (p < 0.001). When E/A <1 (78 patients, 26 with elevated LVEDP), only PV(R)-A reached statistical significance (AUC = 0.893, p < 0.001). The conclusions were: PV(R)-A enabled the most accurate noninvasive estimation of LVEDP irrespective of LV filling profile and combined indices E/V(P), E/E'(lat) and E/E'(radial) represent more feasible alternatives for patients with mitral E/A-1.     

Differences in the immediate effects of smoking on left ventricular diastolic function between healthy volunteers and patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

BACKGROUND: In contrast to in-depth studies on the chronic hazardous effects of smoking, the immediate effects of smoking on left ventricular function have not been evaluated in detail. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to assess the hypothesis that smoking a cigarette might have more deleterious immediate impacts on left ventricular function in patients with diabetes mellitus than in healthy volunteers. METHODS: In all, 20 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and 25 healthy volunteers were consecutively enrolled. Mitral inflow parameters (peak early and late diastolic velocities, and deceleration time of early diastolic mitral inflow) and mitral annulus velocity parameters (systolic, late, and early diastolic velocity [E']) were obtained together with heart rate and blood pressure before and 5, 15, 30, 45, 60, and 75 minutes after smoking a cigarette. RESULTS: Transient elevations in heart rate and blood pressure were observed after smoking in both groups. In terms of mitral inflow parameters, transient trends toward abnormal relaxation were noted in both groups. For mitral annulus velocity parameters, in contrast to a temporary decrease in E' in healthy volunteers, reduction in E' persisted throughout the study for patients with diabetes. No significant change in peak early diastolic velocity/E' ratio was observed in healthy volunteers; however, a significant increase in peak early diastolic velocity/E' ratio lasted throughout the study period for patients with diabetes. Systolic velocity had no significant change during the study in either group. CONCLUSIONS: Even one cigarette can induce more protracted and more severe left ventricular diastolic dysfunction in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus than in healthy volunteers. Our results have clinically relevant implications in the current era of increasing recognition of the diabetes epidemic and of the associated cardiovascular risks.     

斑点追踪成像评价冠心病患者左心室舒张期形变及解旋运动

目的 观察应用斑点追踪成像(STI)技术评价冠心病患者左心室舒张期形变及解旋运动的价值.方法 随机选择临床拟诊为冠心病患者117例,根据冠状动脉造影或冠状动脉CTA结果分成心肌梗死组(60例)、心肌缺血组(31例)及对照组(26例).常规测量二尖瓣口舒张期血流速度(E、A)及二尖瓣后瓣环的运动速度(E'、A'),计算E/E'.运用STI技术测量左心室舒张期各方向应变率、解旋率.结果 与心肌缺血组、对照组相比,心肌梗死组E/E'增大,纵向、径向、圆周方向舒张早期及晚期应变率、解旋率减低(P＜0.001);与对照组比较,心肌缺血组仅解旋率、舒张早期纵向应变率、舒张早期与晚期圆周方向应变率减低,差异均有统计学意义(P均＜0.05).结论 STI技术能有效评价冠心病患者左心室舒张期各方向的形变及解旋运动;与常规超声参数相比较,左心室舒张期径向、圆周方向应变率及解旋率能更早地反映心肌缺血患者左心室舒张功能的减低.     

Differentiation between reversible and irreversible restrictive left ventricular filling patterns with the use of mitral annulus velocity.

A restrictive left ventricular filling pattern is generally recognized as an ominous prognostic sign in patients with congestive heart failure. Recently, this filling pattern has been further categorized into reversible and irreversible groups according to the changes in the mitral inflow pattern after preload reduction; furthermore, the prognosis is reported to be different for the two groups. Forty-two patients with a restrictive left ventricular filling pattern who could adequately perform Valsalva's maneuver were studied. Baseline peak early (E) and late (A) mitral inflow velocities, E/A ratio, deceleration time of E velocity, peak early (E') and late (A') diastolic mitral annulus velocities, and E'/A' ratio were obtained. During Valsalva's maneuver, the E/A ratio reversed (<1) in fifteen patients (15/42, 36%). These patients were categorized as belonging to the reversible group. Among the baseline mitral inflow and mitral annulus velocity parameters, A' > 0.05 m/s best discriminated between the reversible and irreversible restrictive left ventricular filling patterns, with a sensitivity of 80% and a specificity of 85%.     

Tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) for on-line detection of regional early diastolic ventricular asynchrony in patients with coronary artery disease

Diastolic filling of the left ventricle is often impaired in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) in the absence of systolic wall motion abnormalities or previous myocardial infarction. The current study was designed to assess the ability of tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) for on-line detection of regional diastolic wall motion abnormalities to identify CAD in patients with preserved systolic function. 20 normal subjects (age 51 ± 13?years) and 17 CAD patients with normal systolic function and ≥70% luminal narrowing of the LAD (age 56 ± 11?years) were included. Coronary anatomy was unknown to the echocardiographer. In the parasternal short axis and the apical 4-chamber-view, peak tissue velocities of the anterior/inferior and the midseptal/midlateral LV segments during rapid ejection (RE), isovolumic relaxation (IR), rapid filling (RF) and atrial contraction (AC) were analyzed by color-M-Mode-TDI. In the apical view, in 13 of 35 (37%) patients with adequate recordings, myocardial asynchrony was detected during IR: while the septum was moving inwards (red color-coding), the lateral wall was moving outwards (blue/green coding). In the remaining 22 patients (63%) a slow, synchronous outward motion of septum and lateral wall with homogeneous color-coding (blue/green) was seen. Unblinding of the coronary status revealed a critical LAD stenosis in all 13 patients (100%) with myocardial asynchrony. Analysis of midseptal peak velocities during IR revealed positive velocities (1.22 ± 1.64?cm/s) in CAD patients and negative velocities (?1.39 ± 0.81?cm/s) in normal subjects. Thus, TD1 allowed for the on-line detection of early diastolic asynchrony in 13 of 16 (82%) patients with critical LAD-narrowing. Due to the rapid assessment of regional wall motion abnormalities, TDI might help to identify CAD in patients with normal systolic function.     

Tissue Doppler imaging enables the identification of diastolic dysfunction of pseudonormal pattern in Chagas' disease.

The Doppler pseudonormal pattern of left ventricular (LV) diastolic function filling, characterized by apparent normal transmitral flow velocities, indicates advanced diastolic dysfunction with abnormal relaxation and compliance. Left ventricular diastolic dysfunction has been shown to occur in the early stages of the outcome of Chagas cardiopathy, and its identification may potentially contribute to the management of those patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) in identifying LV diastolic dysfunction in patients with Chagas' disease with pseudonormal transmitral flow. For this purpose, 89 patients with Chagas' disease (48 men) who had no other pathology and showed normal (n = 79) or pseudonormal (n = 10) patterns of diastolic function by pulsed wave Doppler were submitted to TDI. A significant LV systolic impairment in terms of the dimensions (P = .00001), ejection fraction (P = .000001), and wall motion score (P = .000002) was observed in patients with diastolic dysfunction when compared with the group with normal LV diastolic function. Tissue Doppler imaging enabled the recognition of a pseudonormal type of transmitral flow velocity with high statistical significance through early (P = .000008) and late (P = .0003) expansion waves. The sensitivity and specificity in detecting LV diastolic dysfunction with TDI in the septal, anterior, inferior, posterior, and lateral walls were 90% and 87.3%, 87.3% and 90%, 87.3% and 90%, 84.8% and 90%, and 84.8 and 90%, respectively. In conclusion, TDI enabled the differentiation of patients with Chagas' disease with normal LV diastolic function and those with the pathologic LV pseudonormal pattern with high statistical significance. Moreover, this article shows the potential in demonstrating the occurrence of major alterations in the LV performance of patients with Chagas' disease with LV diastolic dysfunction, as well as the occurrence of signs of an increased LV filling pressure in those patients.