Prognostic Value of Left Ventricular Diastolic Dysfunction in Patients Undergoing Cardiac Catheterization for Coronary Artery Disease

We hypothesized that left ventricular (LV) diastolic dysfunction assessed by cardiac catheterization may be associated with increased risk for cardiovascular events. To test the hypothesis, we assessed diastolic function by cardiac catheterization (relaxation time constant (Tau) and end-diastolic pressure (EDP)) as well as Doppler echocardiography (early diastolic mitral annular velocity (e′) and a ratio of early diastolic mitral inflow to annular velocities (E/e′)) in 222 consecutive patients undergoing cardiac catheterization for coronary artery disease (CAD). During a followup of 1364 ± 628 days, 5 cardiac deaths and 20 unscheduled cardiovascular hospitalizations were observed. Among LV diastolic function indices, Tau > 48 ms and e′ < 5.8 cm/s were each significantly associated with lower rate of survival free of cardiovascular hospitalization. Even after adjustment for potential confounders (traditional cardiovascular risk factors, the severity of CAD, and cardiovascular medications), the predictive value of Tau > 48 ms and e′ < 5.8 cm/s remained significant. No predictive value was observed in EDP, E/e′, or LV ejection fraction. In conclusion, LV diastolic dysfunction, particularly impaired LV relaxation assessed by both cardiac catheterization and Doppler echocardiography, is independently associated with increased risk for cardiac death or cardiovascular hospitalization in patients with known or suspected CAD

Pulmonary venous occlusion and death in pulmonary arterial hypertension: survival analyses using radiographic surrogates

BACKGROUND: Recent studies find that a considerable number of patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) develop fibrous obstruction of the pulmonary veins. Such obstruction more commonly accompanies connective tissue disorder (CTD)-associated PAH than idiopathic PAH. However, few researchers have gauged the risk of death involving obstruction of the pulmonary veins. METHODS: Thirty-seven patients with PAH were enrolled (18 patients, idiopathic PAH; 19 patients, CTD-associated PAH). The patients were 49 ± 18 years and had a World Health Organization functional class of 3.2 ± 0.6. Thickening of the interlobular septa, centrilobular ground-glass attenuation, and mediastinal adenopathy were surrogates for obstruction of the pulmonary veins, and were detected by a 16-row multidetector computed tomography scanner. RESULTS: The follow-up period was 714 ± 552 days. Fifteen deaths occurred. Thickening of the interlobular septa, centrilobular ground-glass attenuation, and mediastinal adenopathy were found in 37.8%, 24.3%, and 16.2% of patients, respectively. Cox proportional hazard analysis revealed an increased risk of death with each radiographic surrogate (mediastinal adenopathy: p < 0.0001, hazard ratio = 13.9; thickening of interlobular septa: p < 0.001, hazard ratio = 12.0; ground-glass attenuation: p = 0.02, hazard ratio = 3.7). The statistical significance of these relationships was independent of the cause of PAH and plasma concentration of brain natriuretic peptide. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study imply that obstruction of the pulmonary veins is associated with an increased risk of death in patients with PAH

Lack of Inertia Force of Late Systolic Aortic Flow Is a Cause of Left Ventricular Isolated Diastolic Dysfunction in Patients With Coronary Artery Disease

ObjectivesWe investigated whether a lack of inertia force of late systolic aortic flow and/or apical asynergy provoke early diastolic dysfunction in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD).BackgroundLeft ventricular (LV) isolated diastolic dysfunction is a well-recognized cause of heart failure.MethodsWe evaluated LV apical wall motion and obtained left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) by left ventriculography in 101 patients who underwent cardiac catheterization to assess CAD. We also computed the LV relaxation time constant (Tp) and the inertia force of late systolic aortic flow from the LV pressure (P)–first derivative of left ventricular pressure (dP/dt) relation. Using color Doppler echocardiography, we measured the propagation velocity of LV early diastolic filling flow (Vp). Patients with LVEF ≥50% (preserved systolic function [PSF], n = 83) were divided into 2 subgroups: patients with inertia force (n = 53) and without inertia force (n = 30). No patient with systolic dysfunction (SDF) (LVEF <50%) had inertia force (n = 18).ResultsThe Tp was significantly longer in patients with SDF (85.7 ± 21.0 ms) and with PSF without inertia force (81.1 ± 23.6 ms) than in those with PSF with inertia force (66.3 ± 12.8 ms) (p< 0.001). The Vp was significantly less in the former 2 groups than in the last group. In patients with PSF, LV apical wall motion abnormality was less frequently observed in those with inertia force than in those without (p < 0.0001).ConclusionsAn absence of inertia force in patients with PSF is one of the causes of isolated diastolic dysfunction in patients with CAD. Normal LV apical wall motion is substantial enough to give inertia to late systolic aortic flow