Normal age-related changes in left ventricular function: Role of afterload and subendocardial dysfunction

BACKGROUND: In normal ageing, both vascular and ventricular properties change, and how these affect left ventricular function is not clear. METHODS: 96 subjects (ages 20–79) without cardiovascular disease underwent cardiac magnetic resonance (MR) imaging for measurement of global function, diastolic function (E/A ratio), MR tagging for measurement of torsion to shortening ratio (TSR, ratio of epicardial torsion to endocardial circumferential shortening, with increase in TSR suggesting subendocardial dysfunction relative to the subepicardium), and phase contrast MR imaging measurement of central aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV). The Vicorder device was used to measure carotid to femoral PWV. RESULTS: Univariate correlations established that the 4 principal age-related changes in the left ventricular function were: 1) diastolic function: E/A ratio (r: − 0.61, p < 0.00001); 2) global systolic function: cardiac output (r: − 0.49, p < 0.00001), 3) structure: end-diastolic volume index (r: − 0.39, p < 0.0001), and 4) systolic strains: TSR (r: 0.49, p < 0.0001). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that age was the dominant factor in predicting changes in cardiac output and E/A ratio (both p < 0.01). Increased TSR was significantly related to reduced cardiac output and end-diastolic volume index (p < 0.05 and p < 0.01 respectively). Measures of vascular stiffness were not significantly related to any of these variables, but increased effective arterial elastance (afterload) was significantly related to reduced E/A ratio (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: In this group of normal ageing subjects, afterload but not vascular stiffness is significantly related to diastolic dysfunction. Increased TSR, suggesting relative subendocardial dysfunction, has a significant role in reductions of cardiac output and end-diastolic volume index.