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Progressive Impairment of Left Ventricular Diastolic Filling with Advancing Age: A Doppler Echocardiography Study
Author(s) -
Cacciapuoti Federico,
D'Avino Maria,
Lama Diana,
Bianchi Ugo,
Perrone Nicolò,
Varricchio Michele
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
journal of the american geriatrics society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.992
H-Index - 232
eISSN - 1532-5415
pISSN - 0002-8614
DOI - 10.1111/j.1532-5415.1992.tb02076.x
Subject(s) - medicine , isovolumic relaxation time , cardiology , doppler echocardiography , diastole , geriatrics , blood pressure , psychiatry
Objective To identify the sequence and significance of left ventricular filling abnormalities associated with progressive aging in humans. Design Cross‐sectional study comparing three age groups. Setting: Department of Geriatrics at University of Naples. Participants Seventy‐five healthy subjects in three age groups: 25 subjects from 25 to 45 years (Group I), 25 subjects from 46 to 65 years (Group II), and 25 subjects from 66 to 85 years (Group III). Intervention None. Main Outcome Measures All underwent pulsed‐doppler echocardiography under color guide to measure the following parameters: peak velocity flow for early (E wave) and late (A wave) mitral flow; A/E wave ratio; deceleration time of mitral flow (MDt); isovolumic relaxation time (IRT); ratio of velocity time integrals of the A wave to the velocity time integrals of the entire mitral spectrum (VTIA/VTIM). Results Peak velocity of the E wave was slightly lower in Group II and III compared to Group I; in contrast, peak velocity of the A wave was greater ( P < 0.005) in aged individuals. Also A/E wave ratio, MDt, and IRT were significantly greater with advancing age ( P < 0.01; P < 0.05 and P < 0.001, respectively). Finally, VTIA/VTIM tended to be greater in the oldest group, but not significantly so. Conclusions Left ventricular relaxation is progressively impaired in late middle age and old age, presumably an early marker of cardiac aging. Increased left atrial pressure is compromised only in the oldest group, presumably representing a compensation for impaired left ventricular relaxation.