ASSESSMENT OF DIASTOLIC FUNCTION IN PATIENTS WITH HYPERTROPHIC CARDIOMYOPATHY BY DOPPLER TISSUE IMAGING

To determine the clinical application of pulsed Doppler tissue imaging in assessing the left ventricular diasto-lic function and in discriminating between normal subjects and patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy with various stages of diastolic dysfunction. Methods We measured the peak diastolic velocities of mitral annulus in 81 patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy with various stages of diastolic dysfunction and 50 normal volunteers by Doppler tissue imaging using the apical window at 2-ch-amber and long apical views, respectively. The myocardial velocities were determined with use of variance F statistical analysis. Results Early diastolic myocardial velocities of mitral annulus were higher in normal subjects than in patients with hy-pertrophic cardiomyopathy with either delayed relaxation, pseudonormal filling, or restrictive filling. However, peak myocar-dial velocities of mitral annulus during atrial contraction were similar in normal subjects and patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Conclusion Doppler tissue imaging can directly reflect upon left diastolic ventricular function. Early phase of diastole was the best discriminator between control subjects and patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.