[Analysis of mitral inflow velocity pattern in relation to left ventricular end-diastolic pressure].

The relationship between mitral inflow velocity patterns and left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP) was evaluated using pulsed Doppler echocardiography in 34 cases of heart disease, without significant valvular regurgitation. Flow patterns in 19 of the 34 cases were also examined before and after the elevation of LVEDP by methoxamine infusion, 0.01 mg/kg/min. The ratio of the peak velocities in the atrial contraction phase to that in the rapid filling phase (A/R) and the ratio of mean acceleration rates to peak velocities in the rapid filling phase (ACR/R) were determined from the mitral flow patterns obtained by the apical approach. 1. ACR/R correlated significantly with LVEDP (r = 0.49), but A/R did not. LVEDP in six cases with normal A/R (0.5 to 1.0) was 8.3 +/- 2.9 mmHg (mean +/- SD). Among 19 cases with A/R of 1.0 or more and ACR/R less than 13 sec-1, LVEDP showed 10.2 +/- 3.8 mmHg. In eight cases with A/R of 1.0 or more and ACR/R of 13 sec-1 or more, LVEDP was 17.9 +/- 6.2 mmHg. The average value of LVEDP in two cases with A/R less than 0.5 was 18.5 mmHg. 2. When the LVEDP was elevated after methoxamine infusion, A/R within normal range increased in five of six cases and decreased in the remaining case. A/R more than 1.0 decreased in 10 of 11 cases and ACR/R tended to increase with increasing LVEDP.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)