Doppler Tissue Imaging: A Non-Invasive Technique for Estimation of Left Ventricular End Diastolic Pressure in Severe Mitral Regurgitation

BACKGROUND: Conventional Doppler measurements, including mitral inflow and pulmonary venous flow, are used to estimate left ventricular end diastolic pressure (LVEDP). However, these parameters have limitations in predicting LVEDP among patients with mitral regurgitation. This study sought to establish whether the correlation between measurements derived from tissue Doppler echocardiography and LVEDP remains valid in the setting of severe mitral regurgitation. METHODS: Thirty patients (mean age: 57.37 ± 13.29 years) with severe mitral regurgitation and a mean left ventricular ejection fraction (EF) of 46.0 ± 14.95 were enrolled; 16 (53.4%) patients were defined to have EF < 50% and 14 (46.6%) patients had EF ≥ 50%. Doppler signals from the mitral inflow, pulmonary venous flow, and Doppler tissue imaging indices were obtained, and LVEDP was measured invasively through cardiac catheterization. RESULTS: The majority of the standard Doppler and Doppler tissue imaging indices were not significantly correlated with LVEDP in the univariate analysis. In the multiple linear regression, however, early (E) transmitral velocity to annular E′ (E/E′) ratio (β = 1.09, p value < 0.01), E wave velocity to propagation velocity (E/Vp) ratio (β = 7.87, p value < 0.01), and isovolumic relaxation time (β = 0.21, p value = 0.01) were shown as independent predictors of LVEDP (R(2) = 91.7%). CONCLUSION: The ratio of E/Vp and E/E′ ratio and also the isovolumic relaxation time could be applied properly to estimate LVEDP in mitral regurgitation patients even in the setting of severe mitral regurgitation.