Effects of age on left ventricular diastolic function

Abstract

IntroductionEchocardiography plays a pivotal role in the diagnosis of left ventricular diastolic function. There has been only limited data on effects of age on different parameters of left ventricular diastolic function. MethodsWe retrospectively searched and analysed a computerised echocardiography database data of subjects investigated at our department. We enrolled only subjects with sinus rhythm, normal left ventricular ejection fraction, without any valvular disease or any other significant echocardiographic pathology. By a subsequent manual search of hospital records we divided subjects into three groups based on their clinical history – group of healthy patients, group of patients with arterial hypertension and a group with coronary artery disease. ResultsWe enrolled a total of 999 subjects, mean age 60.1±14.4 years, 48.5% were men. There were 363 healthy subjects, 429 subjects with arterial hypertension and 207 subjects with coronary artery disease. Transmitral E/A ratio decreased with age from mean 1.65 in subjects aged under 30 years to 0.78 in subjects over 80 years of age (P<0.001). Tissue doppler velocities of septal and lateral mitral anulus (Em sep and Em lat) decreased with age, as did the septal and lateral e′/a′ ratio. The septal, lateral and average E/Em ratio increased with age, as did the E wave deceleration time (DtE) (all parameters with P<0.001). Except for DtE, Chi-square goodness of fit test did not find any statistically significant differences in the measured parameters between the three compared groups. ConclusionsEchocardiographic parameters of diastolic function physiologically deteriorate with age. Based on this study, more exact cut-off values can be adopted for different age groups and measured diastolic parameters, than are currently available.