Assessment by echocardiogram of left ventricular diastolic function in healthy subjects using the atrioventricular plane displacement

Abstract

Recent echocardiographic studies have shown that the atrioventricular (AV) valve plane displacement toward the apex in systole plays an important role in the pump function of the left ventricle. 1–6 The method of recording the AV plane displacement is simple and the magnitude of the AV plane displacement can be used to assess left ventricular systolic function in patients with acute myocardial infarction, coronary artery disease and severe chronic congestive heart failure. 5–7 At the start of diastole, the AV plane begins to ascend rapidly toward the atrium away from the apex. Atrial systole also contributes to ventricular filling by further displacing the AV plane in the same direction, and this is noticed in the last part of the diastolic phase of AV plane displacement and is associated with the P wave of the electrocardiogram. 8 The purpose of this study was to evaluate the diastolic function in healthy control subjects of different age groups by relating the motion of the AV plane due to atrial systole to the total diastolic ascent of the AV plane.