Validation of six noninvasive Doppler methods for the assessment of left ventricular filling pressure.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to determine the accuracy of six noninvasive Doppler methods for assessing invasively derived left ventricular diastolic pressure (LVDP).

BACKGROUND

To date, no studies have evaluated which of the various available Doppler methods are most reliable in determining LVDP in a consecutive patient population with different cardiac diseases.

METHODS

LVDP was estimated by the following Doppler methods (M): (1) M1-the peak mitral regurgitant flow velocity (peak MR), (2) M2-the mitral regurgitant velocity at the time of aortic valve opening (MRAVO), (3) M3-the aortic regurgitant end-diastolic flow velocity (ARED), (4) M4-the ratio of the transmitral to mitral annular early diastolic velocity (ETM/EDTI), (5) M5-a transmitral flow velocity regression equation (RegrTM), and (6) M6-the difference of pulmonary venous and transmitral A wave duration (APV - ATM duration). For M1-M3, sphygmomanometric blood pressure was used to calculate LVDP.

RESULTS

In 101 patients, the regression coefficient, standard error of estimate, and mean difference with confidence limits between Doppler and catheter-derived measurements were as follows: M1 (n = 46): r = 0.81 (P < 0.0001), 4.3 mmHg and 3.7 +/- 12.0 mmHg; M2 (n = 47): r = 0.79 (P < 0.0001), 5.4 mmHg and 1.1 +/- 11.2 mmHg; M3 (n = 20): r = 0.64 (P = 0.002), 7.8 mmHg and 4.6 +/- 17.6 mmHg; M4 (n = 50): r = 0.62 (P < 0.0001), 5.6 mmHg and 0 +/- 11.2 mmHg; M5 (n = 79): r = 0.24 (P = 0.03), 7.1 mmHg and - 0.1 +/- 16.8 mmHg; and M6 (n = 79): r = 0.22 (P = 0.05), 7.3 mmHg and 0 +/- 14.4 mmHg, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The Doppler measurement of mitral regurgitant jets is most accurate method to estimate left ventricular filling pressure noninvasively.