Changes In Ventricular Diastolic Function Research Articles

Role of NT-proBNP in Detection of Left Ventricular Diastolic Dysfunction in Asymptomatic Type 2 Diabetes Patients with Preserved Ejection Fraction: A Cross-sectional Study

Background: Left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) represents the first stage of diabetic cardiomyopathy and is initially subclinical. Early diagnosis enables earlier treatment and stops further progression of the disease. Tissue Doppler Imaging (TDI) is a new diagnostic modality with high sensitivity and specificity to know ventricular diastolic function. N-terminal pro brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) is a cardiac neurohormone that can be used to identify the changes in ventricular diastolic function. We aimed to estimate the concentration of NT-proBNP and correlate its value with TDI for LVDD in asymptomatic type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.
 Methods: In this comparative cross-sectional study, we enrolled 100 asymptomatic type 2 diabetic patients and 100 healthy people aged 30-60 years. In both groups, NT-proBNP levels were measured and the presence of LVDD was determined by TDI. The primary outcome parameter was the level of NT-proBNP in diabetics and healthy people. The secondary outcome parameter was the correlation of NT-proBNP level with various grades of LVDD.
 Results: In patients with LVDD, NT-proBNP levels [median (IQR)] were 123 (102,194) pg/ml in diabetics and 72 (67, 77) pg/ml in the control group. In patients without LVDD, NT-proBNP levels [median (IQR)] were 69 (59, 76) pg/ml in diabetics and 57 (49, 63) pg/ml in the control group. The level of NT-proBNP was significantly higher in those with LVDD (p < 0.001). NT-proBNP concentration significantly increased as grades of LVDD increased.
 Conclusion: NT-proBNP is a good marker for detection of preclinical LVDD in patients with uncontrolled diabetes prone to develop cardiovascular complications.

Left Ventricular Diastolic Dysfunction and Obesity: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Echocardiographic Studies

Objective: Left ventricular diastolic dysfunction is a common cardiac condition in obese individuals. An updated review and meta-analysis focusing on this issue is lacking, we analyzed the literatures in order to conduct comprehensive information on the left ventricular diastolic function changes, as assessed by echocardiography, associated to obesity. Methods: A literature search using the keywords 'left ventricular diastolic dysfunction', 'diastolic dysfunction', 'obesity', 'obese' 'body mass index' and 'echocardiography' was performed in order to identify relevant papers. Full articles published in English in peer-reviewed journals in past 20 years reporting studies in adult obese individuals were considered. Results: A total of 11 studies including 5171 participants (2764 adults are obese patients) were considered. Obesity was defined as a BMI of ≥30kg/m2.Meta-analysis of selected 11 studies (2764 obesity subjects and 2407 normal weight) found that there is no difference of peak late diastolic mitral flow velocity (A) and deceleration time of early diastolic flow wave (DT) between the two groups, while other related parameters such as peak late diastolic mitral flow velocity (A) and E/A ratio, isovolumic relaxation time (IVRT), early diastolic myocardial velocities (E') and E/E' ratio are significant different between obese individuals and non-obese controls, the values of A, IVRT and E/E' were higher in obesity group compared with that of in control group, while the values of E/A ratio and E' were lower in obesity group. Conclusions: Our study shows that left ventricular diastolic dysfunction is present in obese population, Body mass index was found as a significant predictor for DD.

Low-Sodium DASH Diet Improves Diastolic Function and Ventricular–Arterial Coupling in Hypertensive Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction

Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFPEF) involves failure of cardiovascular reserve in multiple domains. In HFPEF animal models, dietary sodium restriction improves ventricular and vascular stiffness and function. We hypothesized that the sodium-restricted dietary approaches to stop hypertension diet (DASH/SRD) would improve left ventricular diastolic function, arterial elastance, and ventricular-arterial coupling in hypertensive HFPEF. Thirteen patients with treated hypertension and compensated HFPEF consumed the DASH/SRD (target sodium, 50 mmol/2100 kcal) for 21 days. We measured baseline and post-DASH/SRD brachial and central blood pressure (via radial arterial tonometry) and cardiovascular function with echocardiographic measures (all previously invasively validated). Diastolic function was quantified via the parametrized diastolic filling formalism that yields relaxation/viscoelastic (c) and passive/stiffness (k) constants through the analysis of Doppler mitral inflow velocity (E-wave) contours. Effective arterial elastance (Ea) end-systolic elastance (Ees) and ventricular-arterial coupling (defined as the ratio Ees:Ea) were determined using previously published techniques. Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed-rank tests were used for pre-post comparisons. The DASH/SRD reduced clinic and 24-hour brachial systolic pressure (155 ± 35 to 138 ± 30 and 130 ± 16 to 123 ± 18 mm Hg; both P=0.02), and central end-systolic pressure trended lower (116 ± 18 to 111 ± 16 mm Hg; P=0.12). In conjunction, diastolic function improved (c=24.3 ± 5.3 to 22.7 ± 8.1 g/s; P=0.03; k=252 ± 115 to 170 ± 37 g/s(2); P=0.03), Ea decreased (2.0 ± 0.4 to 1.7 ± 0.4 mm Hg/mL; P=0.007), and ventricular-arterial coupling improved (Ees:Ea=1.5 ± 0.3 to 1.7 ± 0.4; P=0.04). In patients with hypertensive HFPEF, the sodium-restricted DASH diet was associated with favorable changes in ventricular diastolic function, arterial elastance, and ventricular-arterial coupling. URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT00939640.

Cardiac changes induced by immersion and breath-hold diving in humans

To evaluate the separate cardiovascular response to body immersion and increased environmental pressure during diving, 12 healthy male subjects (mean age 35.2 +/- 6.5 yr) underwent two-dimensional Doppler echocardiography in five different conditions: out of water (basal); head-out immersion while breathing (condition A); fully immersed at the surface while breathing (condition B) and breath holding (condition C); and breath-hold diving at 5-m depth (condition D). Heart rate, left ventricular volumes, stroke volume, and cardiac output were obtained by underwater echocardiography. Early (E) and late (A) transmitral flow velocities, their ratio (E/A), and deceleration time of E (DTE) were also obtained from pulsed-wave Doppler, as left ventricular diastolic function indexes. The experimental protocol induced significant reductions in left ventricular volumes, left ventricular stroke volume (P < 0.05), cardiac output (P < 0.001), and heart rate (P < 0.05). A significant increase in E peak (P < 0.01) and E/A (P < 0.01) and a significant reduction of DTE (P < 0.01) were also observed. Changes occurring during diving (condition D) accounted for most of the changes observed in the experimental series. In particular, cardiac output at condition D was significantly lower compared with each of the other experimental conditions, E/A was significantly higher during condition D than in conditions A and C. Finally, DTE was significantly shorter at condition D than in basal and condition C. This study confirms a reduction of cardiac output in diving humans. Since most of the changes were observed during diving, the increased environmental pressure seems responsible for this hemodynamic rearrangement. Left ventricular diastolic function changes suggest a constrictive effect on the heart, possibly accounting for cardiac output reduction.

Usefulness of the Evaluation of Left Ventricular Diastolic Function Changes During Stress Echocardiography in Predicting Exercise Capacity in Patients with Ischemic Heart Failure

Diastolic dysfunction and elevated left ventricular (LV) filling pressure at rest are key factors of exercise intolerance in patients with heart failure (HF). There are few studies, however, that have addressed the issue of changes of LV diastolic function and filling pressure during exercise in patients with HF with severe systolic dysfunction. The ratio of early diastolic velocity of mitral inflow (E) and early myocardial diastolic velocity (E') strongly correlates with invasively obtained LV filling pressure. We sought to assess dynamic changes of diastolic function, including LV filling pressure using Doppler tissue imaging, during stress echocardiography and its impact on exercise capacity in patients with ischemic HF. We studied 50 adult patients (44 male and 6 female) with a mean age of 62.9 +/- 8.8 (46-79) years, mean New York Heart Association class of 1.97 +/- 0.86, and mean ejection fraction of 28.4 +/- 9.5 (10%-45%). The following conventional and tissue Doppler parameters were measured at baseline and peak exercise during semisupine stress echocardiography (20 W, 2-minute increments): peak early (E) and late (A) diastolic velocity of the mitral inflow, E/A ratio, peak early myocardial diastolic velocity (E'), and E/E' ratio. Diastolic Doppler tissue imaging indices were derived from septal, lateral, anterior, and inferior border of the mitral annulus in the apical 4- and 2-chamber views. Simultaneously during stress echocardiography peak oxygen uptake was measured. Patients were divided into two groups according to peak oxygen uptake value: group 1 with 23 patients (< 14 mL/kg/min) and group 2 with 27 patients (> or = 14 mL/kg/min). There were significant differences in terms of E' and E/E' ratios both at rest and peak exercise between the two groups. The best correlation with exercise capacity was E/E' at peak stress (r = -0.75, P < .0001). The most useful parameter for identifying severe exercise intolerance, as indicated by peak oxygen uptake less than 14 mL/kg/min, was E/E' at peak stress with an area under receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.92. The cut-off of 18.2 for E/E' at peak stress showed a sensitivity of 85.2% with a specificity of 95.6%. The evaluation of hemodynamic response of diastolic function, including LV filling pressure, during exercise is feasible during stress echocardiography and provides valuable information in predicting exercise capacity in patients with ischemic HF.

3126: Echocardiography changes of left ventricular diastolic function in patients with essential hypertension

Objectives: The purposes of this paper are to study the changes of left ventricular diastolic function of essential hypertension (HT). Methods: Sixty patients with HT in different phase were examined by using echocardiography. Early diastolic peak flow velocity (VE), end diastolic peak flow velocity (VA) and E/A ratio were measure with the pulsed Doppler echocardiography. Results: The results shown that in normal controls VE and VA (cm/s) were 82± 13 and 51± 12, respectively, with E/A> 1. In the HT groups, the first phase patients, VE and VA were 80± 13 and 50± 11, with E/A> 1, and there were not statistically different compared with normal control group (p> 0.05). In the second phase patients, VE and VA were 58± 13 and 52± 12, with 14 cases of E/A> 1 and six cases of E/A< 1, and there were significantly different compared with normal control. In the third phase patients, VE and VA were 40± 12 and 53± 12, with three cases of E/A> 1 and 17 cases of E/A< 1, and there were significantly different compared with normal controls (p< 0.01). Conclusions: We suggested that HT in first phase did not have changes of left ventricular diastolic function, in the second phase HT had often changes, in the third phase HT had significant changes. Measurement of VE, VA and E/A ratio has been proved to be valuable for valuating the left ventricular diastolic function changes of HT.

Developmental changes in ventricular diastolic function correlate with changes in ventricular myoarchitecture in normal mouse embryos.

Both genetic and epigenetic factors, such as abnormal hemodynamics, affect cardiac morphogenesis and the pathogenesis of congenital heart disease. Diastolic function is an important determinant of cardiac function, and tools for evaluating diastolic function in the embryo would be very valuable for assessment of cardiac performance. Using histological measurements of ventricular myoarchitecture, Doppler assessment of ventricular inflow velocities, and direct measurement of ventricular pressure, we investigated developmental changes of ventricular diastolic function in the mouse embryos from embryonic days 9.5 to 19.5. Regression analysis showed that peak velocity of A wave (an index of passive compliance) correlated with the area of trabecular myocardium in right ventricle (RV) (r2=0.92, P<0.0001) and left ventricle (LV) (r2=0.93, P<0.0001). Peak velocity of E wave (an index of active relaxation) exponentially correlated with the area of compact myocardium in RV (r2=0.98, P<0.0001) and LV (r2=0.97, P<0.0001). We used these techniques to analyze FOG-2 null embryos. FOG-2 null embryos had thin compact myocardium, higher EDP and E/A ratio, smaller -dP/dt, and diminished sucking pressure than wild-type littermates, indicating that decreased ventricular diastolic function might be the primary cause of embryonic lethality. In conclusion, during embryogenesis the development of compact myocardium tightly regulates the development of ventricular distensibility. Our study in normal mice forms the basis for future studies of embryonic cardiac function in genetically manipulated mice with abnormalities of the cardiovascular system.

Cardiovascular aging and heart failure.

The aging process is a major factor that contributes to changes seen in the cardiovascular system in older people. Stiffening of the arterial tree alters afterload and left ventricular geometry and although resting left ventricular systolic function is maintained, left ventricular diastolic function changes substantially. Cardiovascular function in older people during exercise is also significantly altered but can be modified by exercise training in older adults or genetic modification in animals. Age-related changes in cardiovascular structure and function also lower the threshold at which cardiac diseases become apparent. This review describes the changes in cardiovascular structure and function at rest and during exercise in older people and highlights their consequences.

Change in cardiac diastolic function in neonates.

In this study we used Doppler echocardiography to examine changes in ventricular diastolic function in neonates. Echocardiograms were performed in 25 healthy neonates at 1-6 days (2.7+/-1.6 days) and at 25-35 days (29.4+/-3.3 days) after birth. Ventricular inflow velocity curves were recorded using the pulsed-Doppler method. Peak velocities (peak E, A). mean velocities (mean E, A), times (time E, A), and diastolic velocity-time integrals (area E, A) were measured during both early ventricular filling and atrial systole. The acceleration time of the wave during early ventricular filling was also measured. Peak E and A and mean E and A in both ventricles increased at 1 month after birth. Acceleration times in both ventricles were shortened. The ratio of area E to A in both ventricles and of peak E to A in the left ventricle did not change at 1 month after birth. Only the ratio of peak E to A in the right ventricle increased. The ratio of peak E to (area E + area A), which is thought to be a load-independent index, increased in both ventricles. The authors concluded that ventricular relaxation appears to increase in both ventricles, 1 month after birth, and that changes in diastolic function occur even in neonates.

Effects of gradual volume loading on left ventricular diastolic function in dogs: implications for the optimisation of cardiac output.

Volume loading is commonly used to adjust preload and optimise cardiac output. It is difficult to monitor preload at the bedside because filling affects ventricular diastolic function and consequently end diastolic pressure, which is the variable used to monitor preload. To assess the effects of gradual volume loading on the different components of left ventricular diastolic function---filling velocities, relaxation, and chamber compliance---to identify how excessive loading produces diastolic dysfunction. Eight mongrel dogs, anaesthetised and mechanically ventilated with both the chest and the pericardium closed, were studied during basal conditions (B), during gradual volume loading with physiological saline---5 ml/kg (VL5), 10 ml/kg (VL10), and 15 ml/kg (VL15)---and during infusion of isosorbide dinitrate (10 g/kg/min) started after the VL15 load was achieved. Dogs were monitored haemodynamically and by transthoracic Doppler echocardiography to assess peak modal velocities of the E and A waves, E/A ratios, and the deceleration time of the E wave. M mode recordings of aligned mitral and aortic valve motion were also obtained to calculate the isovolumic relaxation time. Effects of volume loading on ventricular diastolic function seemed to occur in two phases. Small and moderate volume loads (VL5 and VL10) promoted early ventricular filling, increasing E wave velocities, improving the mean (SD) E/A ratio from 1.95 (0.3) (B) to 2.0 (0.27) (VL5) and 2.6 (0.3) (VL10) (P < 0.00005), prolonging the E wave deceleration time, and only slightly increasing ventricular diastolic pressures. These changes suggest an improvement in ventricular compliance. Extreme volume loads (VL15) produced an abrupt reduction in early ventricular filling, which was transfered to late in diastole, by decreasing E wave velocity, by increasing A wave velocity, and by decreasing E/A ratio from 2.6 (0.3) (VL10) to 0.8 (0.05) (VL15) (P < 0.00005). The E wave deceleration time was shortened and left ventricular diastolic pressures were much increased, all suggesting a deterioration in chamber compliance. All these restrictive changes were promptly reversed by the perfusion of isosorbide dinitrate. The isovolumic relaxation time steadily increased with volume loading. Small and moderate volume loads improved ventricular diastolic function by promoting early ventricular filling and increasing ventricular compliance. Extreme volume loads promptly induced a diastolic restrictive pattern, transferring filling to the second part of diastole (increasing dependence on atrial contraction) and reducing ventricular compliance. These changes in ventricular diastolic function were independent of simultaneously measured haemodynamic systolic performance and were promptly reversed by isosorbide dinitrate, which after extreme loading promoted early filling, myocardial relaxation, and improved chamber compliance.

Diastolic function of the fetal heart during second and third trimester: A prospective longitudinal Doppler-echocardiographic study

To generate normal charts of fetal cardiac inflow velocities and to assess physiologic changes of ventricular diastolic function, velocity waveforms of tricuspid and mitral valves were studied longitudinally in 49 fetuses in 4 week intervals from 14 weeks gestation to term. Doppler tracings were analyzed for: peak early (E) and peak late (A) inflow velocities, time velocity integral (TVI) of total inflow and A-wave velocity waveforms and heart rate corrected isovolemic relaxation time. E- and A-velocity as well as total- and A-wave-TVI of both valves increased significantly with gestational age (P < 0.001). Heart rate and A/E ratio decreased significantly with gestational age (P < 0.001). The ratio of A-wave TVI to total TVI of both valves and heart rate corrected isovolemic relaxation time (IVR) was constant suggesting unchanged diastolic function. This study provides normal charts for fetal cardiac inflow velocities. After 14 weeks of gestation all inflow velocities and their respective TVI's increased linearly in the growing fetal heart. There was evidence that diastolic function did not change. Area ratios and IVR should be used to determine changes in ventricular diastolic function, rather than velocity ratios.