E/Ea is the major determinant of pulmonary artery pressure in moderate to severe aortic stenosis.

Full Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to determine echocardiographic Doppler predictors of pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP) in patients with moderate to severe aortic stenosis (AS). METHODS: In this retrospective study of 50 patients with moderate to severe AS, the determinants of PASP were analyzed. RESULTS: Aortic valve area was 0.84 +/- 0.3 cm(2), with mean gradient of 55 +/- 16 mm Hg, mean ejection fraction (EF) of 60 +/- 13%, mean PASP of 37 +/- 15 mm Hg, and mean E/Ea of 14 +/- 6. aortic valve area and mean gradient did not predict degree of PASP and were not associated with EF and diastolic parameters. LV mass index (P = .0005), E velocity (P = .006), E/Ea (P < .0001), and EF (P < .0001) were univariately significantly associated with PASP. By multivariate analysis, E/Ea independently predicted PASP (P = .0001). CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that in moderate to severe AS, diastolic function, not AS severity, determines PASP. Superimposed diastolic dysfunction likely contributes to clinical symptoms of moderate to severe AS.

Author information

Author/s: Casaclang-Verzosa, Grace (G); Nkomo, Vuyisile T (VT); Sarano, Maurice E (ME); Malouf, Joseph F (JF); Miller, Fletcher A (FA); Oh, Jae K (JK);

Affiliation: Division of Cardiovascular Diseases, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota 55905, USA.

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Comparative Study; Journal Article

Journal: Journal of the American Society of Echocardiography : official publication of the American Society of Echocardiography (J Am Soc Echocardiogr), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2008-Jul; vol 21 (issue 7) : pp 824-7

Dates: Created 2008/07/01; Completed 2008/08/21;

PMID: 18222635, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 2/18/2009, IMS Date: )

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