Assessment of Left Ventricular Diastolic Function in Patients with Dilated Cardiomyopathy: Mitral Annulus Velocity Determined by Quantitative Tissue Velocity Imaging

Objective To assess left ventricular diastolic function in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy using mitral annulus velocity determined by quantitative tissue velocity imaging. Methods Mitral annulus velocities from posteroseptal,lateral,anteroseptal,posterior,anterior and inferior segments during early diastole (Ve),atrial contraction (Va) were measured by quantative tissue velocity imaging in 14 patients with dilated cardiomyopathy and in 14 age matched healthy subjects,and then Ve/Va was calculated.Transmitral flow velocities during early diastole (E) and atrial contraction (A) were also measured by Doppler echocardiography and E/A ratio was calculated. Results E/A ratio showed no significant difference between patients with dilated cardiomyopathy and healthy subjects.Mean Ve/Va (0.89±0.11 vs 1.76±0.76, P =0.001) and Ve ( -4.79 ±2.22 vs -8.42±2.27, P 0.0001) of the mitral annulus in the patients with dilated cardiomyopathy were significantly lower than in the controls.There was a significant correlation between mean Ve/Va of the mitral annulus and E/A ratio in healthy subjects ( r =0.63, P =0.008),but not much correlation in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy. Conclusion Transmitral flow velocities pattern shows pseudonormal filling in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy,and the mitral annular diastolic velocity determined by quantitative tissue velocity imaging can assess accurately the left ventricular diastolic function in them.