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Detection of left ventricular dysfunction by Doppler tissue imaging in patients with complete recovery of visual wall motion abnormalities 6 months after a first ST‐elevation myocardial infarction
Author(s) -
Witt Nils,
Samad Bassem A.,
Frick Mats,
Alam Mahbubul
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
clinical physiology and functional imaging
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.608
H-Index - 67
eISSN - 1475-097X
pISSN - 1475-0961
DOI - 10.1111/j.1475-097x.2007.00752.x
Subject(s) - medicine , cardiology , myocardial infarction , diastole , doppler imaging , diastolic function , heart failure , blood pressure
Summary Aims The aim of this study was to assess left ventricular (LV) systolic and diastolic function, using Doppler tissue imaging (DTI), in patients with complete recovery of visual wall motion abnormalities six months after a first ST‐elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Methods Out of 90 patients presenting with a STEMI, 68 patients without a history of heart disease were examined by echocardiography before discharge and after 6 months. The patients were compared to 41 age matched healthy subjects (HS). LV function was assessed by visual wall motion and mitral annular velocities using pulsed wave DTI. Results Sixty‐eight patients had visual wall motion abnormalities at baseline. Of these, 19 patients showed complete recovery of wall motion at 6‐months follow‐up. Patients with complete recovery of wall motion abnormalities had significantly reduced peak systolic and peak early diastolic mitral annular velocities compared to HS at 6 months (8·3 cm s −1 versus 9·9 cm s −1 , P <0·001 for systolic velocity and 9·3 cm s −1 versus 13·1 cm s −1 , P <0·001 for diastolic velocity, respectively). Conclusion In patients presenting with a first STEMI, mitral annular systolic and early diastolic velocities assessed by DTI at 6‐months follow‐up are significantly reduced compared to HS, despite normal standard echocardiographic parameters of LV function. This probably reflects a residual subendocardial damage not detected by conventional echocardiographic methods.