Aortic upper wall tissue Doppler image velocity: relation to aortic elasticity and left ventricular diastolic function.

Background: Aortic stiffening contributes to the left ventricular (LV) afterload, hypertrophy, and substrate for diastolic dysfunction. It is also known that aortic elastic properties could be investigated with color tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) in aortic upper wall. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the relation of aortic upper wall TDI and aortic stiffness and other parameters of LV diastolic function. Methods: We examined aortic upper wall by TDI at the 3 cm above the aortic valves because of patient’s chest discomfort or dyspnea. We excluded the patient with arterial hypertension or reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) or significant valvular heart disease. So a total of 126 (mean age 53.8 ± 13.9 years, male 49.2%) patients were enrolled in this study and divided normal LV filling group (N = 31) and abnormal LV filling group (N = 95). Results: Aortic upper wall early systolic velocity and late diastolic velocity were not different between the two groups. Only aortic upper wall early diastolic velocity (AWEDV) was related to aortic stiffness index (r =− 0.25, P = 0.008), distensibility (r = 0.28, P = 0.003), early diastolic (Em) (r = 0.45, P = 0.001), E/Em (r = −0.26, P = 0.003), and significantly reduced in abnormal LV filling group (6.19 ± 2.50 vs 8.18 ± 2.87, P = 0.001). Conclusions: AWEDV is decreased significantly in abnormal LV filling patients. It is statistically related to aortic stiffness, distensibility and parameters of abnormal LV filling, Em, E/Em. TDI velocity of the aortic upper wall can be a helpful tool for evaluating aortic stiffness, distensibility, and diastolic function. (ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY, Volume **, ******** ****) aortic stiffness, diastolic function, tissue Doppler The aorta has an elastic structure that provides a conduit function to cardiovascular system. 1 Also it partly regulates left ventricular (LV) performance and coronary flow. Increased aortic stiffness may increase afterload and induce LV myocardial change and consequently impact on LV diastolic function. The change in aortic elastic property could be shown with color Doppler tissue imaging 2,3 and these finding could be related to aortic stiffness, distensibility, and LV diastolic function. Several studies have shown that aortic stiffness is related with LV mass and diastolic function. 4‐10 However, aortic systolic and diastolic wall motion velocity