The characteristics and significance of Doppler tissue imaging in hypertensive patients with or without left ventricular hypertrophy

Objective To observe the characteristics and significance of Doppler tissue imaging(DTI)in hypertensive patients with or without left ventricular hypertrophy(LVH),and to explore the value of DTI in evaluating cardiac function.Methods 30 hypertensive patients who were divided into LVH group(n=15) and non-LVH group(n=15) and 15 controls were measured by ultrasonic Doppler and DTI.Interventricular septal thickness(IVSd),left ventricular posterior wall thickness(LVPWd),and left atrial thickness(LAD)were measured by ultrasonic Doppler,while myocardial systolic peak velocity(Vs),early diastolic velocity(Ve),late diastolic velocity(Va),and Ve/Va in mitral ring were measured by DTI and left ventricular end diastolic pressure(LVEDP) by a fluid-filled catheter.Results As compared with those in the control group,Ve and Ve/Va in the LVH group and non-LVH group decreased significantly and more evidently in the LVH group(P 0.05).Va was markedly elevated in the LVH group as compared to the control group and non-LVH group(P 0.05) and did not differ significantly between the latter two groups(P 0.05).There was a good linear relationship between Ve/Va and LVPWd or LVEDP.Conclusions Hypertensive patients,with or without LVH,all have diastolic dysfunction which is positively related to LVPWd.DTI is a reliable procedure for evaluating left ventricular diastolic function.