Objective: To investigate the value of quantitative tissue velocity imaging (QTVI) echocardiography in the evaluation of cardiac function and the diagnosis of left heart failure.
Methods: 30 heart failure (HF) patients, aged 66 +/- 12 (39 - 86), and 32 normal controls, 66 +/- 12 (40 - 82) underwent conventional echocardiography, and QTVI. Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was calculated by Simpson's formula. Mitral annulus peak systolic velocity (Vs) and systolic displacement (Ds) from posteroseptal, lateral, anteroseptal, posterior, anterior, and inferior segments were determined by QTVI, and the mean Vs and Ds were calculated. The values of mean Vs and Ds of the HF patients and those of the normal controls, and the values of mean Vs and Ds of the HF patients before and after treatment were compared. The correlation of the mean Vs and Ds with LVEF was analyzed.
Results: The mean Vs of the HF patients was 2.8 cm/s +/- 0.6 cm/s, significantly lower than that of the normal controls (6.4 cm/s +/- 0.9 cm/s, P < 0.01). The mean Vs of the HF patients after treatment was 3.5 cm/s +/- 1.1 cm/s, significantly higher than that before treatment (2.8 cm/s +/- 0.6 cm/s, P < 0.01). The mean Ds of the HF patients was 5.2 mm +/- 1.5 mm, significantly lower than that of the normal controls (11.6 mm +/- 1.5 mm, P < 0.01). The mean Ds of the HF patients after treatment was 6.5 mm +/- 2.0 mm, significantly higher than that before treatment (5.2 mm +/- 1.5 mm, P < 0.01). The mean Vs and mean Ds were positively correlated with LVEF (r = 0.87, P < 0.01, and r = 0.89, P < 0.01). The area under the curve (AUC) of receiver operator characteristic (ROC) was 0.95 for the mean Vs to diagnose HF. The mean Vs < or = 4.42 cm/s was used as a cut-off point to diagnosis left HF with a sensitivity of 97.5% a specificity of 90.2%, and an accuracy rating of 95.1%. The AUC of ROC was 0.96 for the mean Ds to diagnose HF. The mean Ds < or = 8.49 mm was used as a cut-off point to diagnose left HF with a sensitivity of 97.5%, a specificity of 87.8%, and an accuracy rating was 95.1%.
Conclusion: The mean systolic velocity and mean systolic displacement of mitral annulus determined by QTVI help evaluate the left ventricular systolic function. The value of the diagnosis is significant in left HF.