Noninvasive determination of the left ventricular end-systolic pressure

Coronary flow reserve impairment in apical vs asymmetrical septal hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

BACKGROUND

Mechanisms underlying a reduction in coronary flow reserve (CFR) in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), especially apical HCM (ApHCM), are elusive. This study set out to evaluate mechanisms underlying a reduction in CFR in 2 HCM subtypes.

HYPOTHESIS

Mechanisms for CFR reduction in HCM are different between the 2 subtypes of HCM.

METHODS

Thirty-one patients with asymmetrical septal hypertrophy (ASH), 43 with ApHCM, and 27 healthy volunteers were recruited. Mean diastolic coronary flow velocity (CFmv) was monitored before and after adenosine infusion by transthoracic echocardiography in the mid-to-distal left anterior descending coronary artery. Coronary flow reserve was defined as the ratio between CFmv before and after adenosine infusion. Left ventricular mass index and stress myocardial perfusion were assessed by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging.

RESULTS

Although basal CFmv was higher in ASH patients than in healthy controls (P<0.05), it was similar in ApHCM patients and controls (P=0.85). Poststress CFmv was significantly lower in both HCM subtypes than in controls (P<0.05). Consequently, CFR was higher in controls than in ASH or ApHCM patients (P<0.05). When HCM patients were stratified into 2 groups based on the presence of CFR impairment, no difference was observed between these 2 groups in terms of left ventricular mass index by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging. Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified basal CFmv as the only independent variable associated with CFR reduction in HCM (r2=0.49, P<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Whereas the inability to augment coronary flow to its maximal level during stress was found to underlie CFR impairment in both HCM subtypes, the recruitment of vasodilatory capacity at baseline was more prominent in ASH than in ApHCM patients.

Does passive leg raising increase cardiac performance? A study using Doppler echocardiography

Passive leg raising is commonly used for the initial treatment of hypovolemic shock. However, there are many reports which have pointed out that it does not produce significant autotransfusion effect. We tried to evaluate the effects of passive leg raising on the cardiovascular performance in coronary artery disease patients in stable condition. We studied 31 patients of 51 +/- 10 years. Two M-mode echocardiographic and continuous wave Doppler studies of aortic flow were obtained. The first was performed while the patient was lying on the left side and the second after passive leg elevation. Left ventricular end-diastolic dimension increased by 0.40 +/- 0.82 cm (P = 0.007), fractional shortening by 2.5 +/- 6% (P = 0.01), peak aortic blood velocity by 5 +/- 14 cm/s (P = 0.02), and velocity time integral by 1.7 +/- 3.0 cm (P = 0.0007). From the above it is concluded that passive leg elevation really does increase preload, and consequently cardiac performance, by the classical Frank-Staring relationship in normovolemic coronary artery disease patients.

Increased response of diastolic blood pressure to exercise in patients with coronary artery disease: an index of latent ventricular dysfunction?

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether an abnormal response of diastolic blood pressure during treadmill exercise stress testing correlated with the number of obstructed vessels and with left ventricular systolic function in patients with coronary artery disease.

DESIGN

Diastolic blood pressure was measured invasively during exercise stress testing and coronary angiograms and left ventriculograms were obtained at rest in patients with coronary artery disease. The abnormal (> or = 15 mm Hg) diastolic blood pressure response was compared with the number of obstructed coronary arteries and with left ventricular systolic function.

SETTING

Two tertiary referral centres.

PATIENTS

50 consecutive patients (mean age 57 years) with coronary artery disease.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

The increase in diastolic blood pressure during exercise and its correlation with the appearance and disappearance of ST segment deviation, resting left ventricular systolic function, and the number of obstructed coronary arteries.

RESULTS

Group 1: 10 (20%) patients (three with one, four with two, and three with three vessel coronary artery disease) (mean (SD) age 54.7 (12) years) had an abnormal diastolic blood pressure response that appeared 1.2 (0.3) min before ST segment deviation and became normal 0.9 (0.3) min after the ST segment returned to normal. Group 2: 40 (80%) patients (12 with one, 16 with two, and 12 with three vessel coronary arteries disease) (aged 56.8 (8.2) years) had a normal diastolic blood pressure response to stress testing. The ejection fraction (46.3 (5)%) and cardiac index (2.6 (0.1) 1/min/m2) in group 1 were less than in group 2 (61.6 (4.2)% and 3.8 (0.3) 1/min/m2 respectively, p < or = 0.001). The end systolic volume was greater in group 1 than in group 2: 38.7 (0.7 ml/m2 v 28.2 (2.1) ml/m2, p < or = 0.001.

CONCLUSION

In patients with coronary artery disease an abnormal increase in diastolic blood pressure during exercise stress testing correlated well with left ventricular systolic function at rest but not with the number of obstructed coronary arteries. The abnormal response of diastolic blood pressure probably reflects deterioration of myocardial function.