Study on exploring left ventricular regional diastolic function in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy by quantitative tissue velocity imaging

Objectives The study was performed to assess the left ventricular(LV) regional and global diastolic function,left ventricular wall motion features in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy by quantitative tissue velocity imaging(QTVI). Me- thods 42 patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and 36 age matched normal subjects underwent TVI studied. Off-line LV regional muscular tissue velocity imaging along LV aplcal long-axis view were obtained. Regional diastolic function was assessed by peak tissue velocities of LV regional muscular tissue during early diastole(Ve) and LA contraction(Va),Ve/Va ratio, derived from tissue velocity imaging. LV global diastolic function was reflected by isovolumic relaxation time(IRT) and mitral valve peak flow velocity(E/A) calculated with pulsed wave doppler, the end-diastolic interventricular septal thickness (IVSt) was measured by conventional 2-dimension echocardiography. Results ①Ve?Va?Ve/Va in interventricular septum significantly reduced wlhile E/A ratio significantly reduced and IRT markedly prolonged in HCM patients than in normal subjects. ②Ve?Ve/Va significantly reduced in the region of hypertrophic interventricular septum(IVS) compared with other LV segments in HCM patients. ③There was a correlation between Ve/Va and E/A in HCM patients with abnormal E/A ratio(r=0.70). ④There was a negative correlation between Ve/Va and IVSt in non-obstruction HCM patients(B group, r=-0.61). Conclusions QTVI offer a newer method in clinical practice which have a higher sensibility and accuracy in evaluating the LV regional and global diastolic function in HCM patients.