Pseudonormalization of the TEI Index in Patients With Left Ventricular Systolic Dysfunction and Congestive Heart Failure

Abstract

Background. We investigated the effect of congestive heart failure (CHF) and pseudonormal (PN) hemodynamics on the TEI index in patients with left ventricular (LV) systolic dysfunction.Methods. Study 1 included 12 patients with LV systolic dysfunction who were admitted because of CHF, and study 2 included 42 patients with LV systolic dysfunction whose ejection fraction (EF) was 1.2, n=26) and impaired relaxation (IR; E/A A to E<A pattern, the LVEDV decreased, and the LVEF increased in the compensated stage. There were no changes in the ET or ICT, a significant prolongation of the IRT, and a significant increase in the TEI index. In study 2, there were no differences in age, LVEDV, LVEF, ET, or ICT between the PN and IR groups. However, the IRT was significantly prolonged and the TEI index was significantly increased in the IR group compared to the PN group. The TEI index best linearly correlated with IRT among various time intervals.Conclusions. The TEI index showed a paradoxically small value due to a shortened IRT in the acute decompensated stage compared with the compensated stage of CHF. Such pseudonormal phenomena should be taken into consideration in the evaluation of LV function by the TEI index in patients with LV systolic dysfunction.