Non-invasive estimation of left ventricular end-diastolic pressure by pulmonary venous flow deceleration time.

AIMS: The scope of this study was to assess the potential value of pulmonary venous flow diastolic deceleration time to predict end-diastolic pressure and stratify patients with regard to elevation of left ventricular end-diastolic pressures. METHODS AND RESULTS: In 174 consecutive patients, pulmonary venous flow diastolic deceleration time was determined and compared with left ventricular end-diastolic pressures measured invasively. The sample was randomly divided into two subgroups of equal size for modelling of prediction and independent testing of the model. Predicted left ventricular end-diastolic pressures calculated from pulmonary venous flow diastolic deceleration time (left ventricular end-diastolic pressures=-10.87 + 5261/pulmonary venous flow diastolic deceleration time) agreed well with measured left ventricular end-diastolic pressures (mean difference: -1.3 +/- 3.4 mmHg). The correlation of left ventricular end-diastolic pressures with pulmonary venous flow diastolic deceleration time is fair (r=0.73989). A value of pulmonary venous flow diastolic deceleration time <220 ms is suggestive of elevated left ventricular end-diastolic pressures and should be monitored. A value of pulmonary venous flow diastolic deceleration time <190 ms predicts elevated left ventricular end-diastolic pressures. A value of pulmonary venous flow diastolic deceleration time <165 ms predicts severely elevated left ventricular end-diastolic pressures. With 190 ms as a cut-off value for elevated and 165 ms for severely elevated left ventricular end-diastolic pressures, cross-table analysis classifies all patients with normal left ventricular end-diastolic pressures correctly. No patient with severe elevation (<18 mmHg) of left ventricular end-diastolic pressures is classified as normal (chi2=102, P<0.0001). CONCLUSION: Pulmonary venous flow diastolic deceleration time is an appropriate non-invasive measurement to stratify patients with respect to elevation of left ventricular end-diastolic pressures.