The relationship between aortic valve closure and aortic root motion.

The minimum interval between aortic valve closure and the onset of posterior motion of the posterior aortic wall (C--PW) was obtained from M-mode echographic studies in normal subjects and patients with mitral regurgitation (MR), rheumatic mitral stenosis (MS), mixed rheumatic MS and MR, pure aortic stenosis (AS), and pure aortic insufficiency. Three-fourths of the patients with MR and 2/3 of those with AS had short C--PW intervals. Short C--PW intervals are probably the result of early mitral valve opening with rapid LA emptying, whereas slow emptying due to dilated, relatively inert left atria may account for normal C--PW intervals in patients with MR. C--PW intervals are affected by both ventricular ejection and LA dynamics and may prove useful in evaluating suspected mitral or aortic valve disease.