The left ventricular ejection time/filling period ratio as derived and simplified new index for noninvasive approximation of primary lusitropy disturbances in chronic hypertensive heart disease: a comparative Doppler-cardiographic and digital-echocardiographic study.

A theoretical new Doppler-cardiographic index was developed for a noninvasive approximation of primary lusitropy disturbances from the peak filling/peak ejection rate ratio. This simplified index, the left ventricular ejection time/filling period ratio was directly extrapolated from the outflow and inflow sample volumes. An index was significantly lower in a group of hypertensive patients with global relaxation disturbance than in the group with "partial" lusitropy disturbance. Between this index (x) and the isovolumetric relaxation period (y) there exists a very tight linear correlation: y = -124 x + 148; r = -0.89. All patients had a pressure overload left ventricular hypertrophy and therefore a prolonged protodiastolic period from the aortic valve closure to the mitral valve opening without a significant difference between the groups of patients. There were significantly higher values of the isovolumetric relaxation period and the standard and normalised first time derivatives of protodiastolic left ventricular dimension changes in the group of patients with global relaxation disturbances. There were determined confidence limits for the appearance of primary lusitropy disturbances on the basis of defined parameter changes, the left ventricular ejection time/filling period ratio, the isovolumetric relaxation period and the standard and normalised first time derivatives of protodiastolic dimension changes. One could conclude that the left ventricular ejection time/filling period ratio is a simple and easily derived index for the noninvasive approximation of primary lusitrophy and global relaxation disturbances in the pressure overload left ventricular hypertrophy.