Tissue Doppler imaging evaluation of left and right ventricular function in healthy adults

AIM:To study left and right ventricular function in healthy adults by tissue Doppler imaging(TDI).METHODS:Three hundred healthy adults were divided into six groups according to age.Systolic and diastolic velocity of mitral and tricuspid annulus were measured in apical 4-chamber views by TDI:peak systolic velocity(Vs),peak early diastolic velocity(Ve),peak late diastolic velocity(Va),and Ve/Va.RESULTS:A negative correlation was observed between Ve/Va and age(r1=-0.946,P0.01 and r2=-0.925,P0.01).Vs was not correlated with age.Ve decreased gradually with age,and Va increased gradually with age.Ve/Va of tricuspid annular inverted at ~50 years of age but at ~60 years of age in mitral annulus.CONCLUSION:Diastolic function decreases gradually with age,and right ventricular diastolic function decreases earlier than left ventricular function.Systolic function appears not to be correlated with age.