• Cristian Mornos, Dragos Cozma, Dan Rusinaru, Adina Ionac, Daniela Maximov, Lucian Petrescu, and Stefan-Iosif Dragulescu.
• Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Timisoara, Romania. mornoscristi@yahoo.com
• Int. J. Cardiol. 2009 Aug 14;136(2):120-9.

BackgroundEarly diastolic transmitral velocity (E)/early mitral annular diastolic velocity (Ea) ratio has been proposed as the best Doppler predictor for evaluating left ventricular (LV) filling pressure.PurposeTo evaluate the relationship between a novel echocardiographic index, E/(EaxSa), and left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP); Sa is the peak systolic mitral annular velocity. We measured this index at different sites of the mitral annulus and compared it with other Tissue Doppler parameters.MethodsEchocardiography was performed simultaneously with left heart catheterization in 110 consecutive patients in sinus rhythm. E, Sa, Ea and Aa (late mitral annular diastolic velocity) were determined at medial and lateral site, and average values obtained. E/Ea and E/(EaxSa) were calculated (medial, lateral, average). LVEDP was measured with invasively fluid-filled catheter.ResultsWe demonstrated significant correlations between LVEDP and E/(EaxSa)(lateral) (r=0.78, p<0.0001), E/Ea(average) (r=0.70, p<0.0001), E/Ea(lateral) (r=0.66, p<0.0001), E/Ea(medial) (r=0.60, p<0.0001) and E/(EaxSa)(medial) (r=0.60, p<0.0001). E/(EaxSa)(average) had the strongest correlation with LVEDP (r=0.80, p<0.0001). An E/(EaxSa)(average) cut-off of 1.6 had 86% sensitivity and 85% specificity for detecting LVEDP>15 mmHg. Weaker correlations were found for Sa, Ea and Aa. E/(EaxSa)(average) was the best parameter to assess LVEDP in patients with normal LV ejection fraction (LVEF>or=50%) (r=0.83, p<0.0001), depressed LVEF (r=0.76, p<0.0001), regional dysfunction (r=0.81, p<0.0001), or E/Ea(average) between 8 and 15 (r=0.67, p<0.0001).ConclusionsE/(EaxSa)(average) was the best predictor of LVEDP in sinus rhythm patients, regardless of LVEF, particularly in those with E/Ea(average) between 8 and 15 and in those with regional dysfunction.

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