Objective: To test the hypothesis that, when measured in the long axis, left ventricular systolic function is abnormal in patients with diastolic heart failure. Design: A case-control study. Setting: University teaching hospital (tertiary referral centre). Patients: 68 patients with heart failure, 29 with a left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) of > 0.45 and diastolic dysfunction (diastolic heart failure), 39 with an LVEF of < 0.45 (systolic heart failure), and 105 normal subjects, including 33 age matched controls. Methods: LVEF was measured by cross sectional Simpson's method, and mitral annular amplitudes and velocities by M mode and tissue Doppler echocardiography, respectively, along with mitral Doppler inflow velocities. Results were compared between the three groups. Main outcome measures: Peak systolic mitral annular velocity and amplitude between the different groups. Results: The mitral annular peak mean velocity and amplitude in systole were lower in the patients with diastolic heart failure (mean (SEM), 4.8 (0.2) cm/s) than in the age matched normal controls (6.1 (0.14) cm/s), but higher than those with systolic heart failure (2.8 (0.13) cm/s) (all p < 0.001). Similar changes were seen the mitral annular amplitude during systole. Peak early diastolic velocity and amplitude were also significantly reduced in the group with diastolic heart failure. Left ventricular hypertrophy was evident in over 95% patients in both diastolic and systolic heart failure groups, with a comparable left ventricular mass index. Conclusions: In patients with diastolic heart failure and evidence of left ventricular hypertrophy, there is systolic left ventricular impairment as measured by myocardial Doppler imaging of the longitudinal axis. Thus subtle abnormalities of systolic function are present in patients with heart failure and a normal left ventricular ejection fraction, and there appears to be a continuum of systolic function between those with truly normal, mildly impaired (labelled diastolic heart failure), and obviously abnormal left ventricular systolic function. Isolated diastolic dysfunction is uncommon.H eart failure with a normal left ventricular ejection fraction is usually called "diastolic heart failure" if there are no other obvious causes. In some parts of the world, so called diastolic heart failure may be more common than systolic heart failure in patients presenting with heart failure symptoms. 1 The distinction between the two states is based upon the measurement of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), usually by echocardiography. In patients with a normal or nearly normal LVEF it is assumed that as there is "preserved systolic function" the primary disorder is diastolic. Although LVEF assesses global function, it is a relatively crude measure of left ventricular systolic function. Measurement of the ventricular long axis velocities and amplitude using tissue Doppler and M mode imaging of the mitral annulus is thought to provide a more sensitive index of systolic function than LVEF. 2 Using t...

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Early diastolic mitral annulus velocity measured by TDI provides prognostic information, incremental to clinical data and standard echocardiographic variables, for risk stratification of hypertensive patients under treatment.

Background: Although heart failure with a preserved or normal ejection fraction (HFNEF or diastolic heart failure) is common, treatment outcomes on quality of life and cardiac function are lacking. The effect of reninangiotensin blockade by irbesartan or ramipril in combination with diuretics on quality of life (QoL), regional and global systolic and diastolic function was assessed in HFNEF patients. Methods: 150 patients with HFNEF (LVEF .45%) were randomised to (1) diuretics alone, (2) diuretics plus irbesartan, or (3) diuretics plus ramipril. QoL, 6-minute walk test (6MWT) and Doppler echocardiography were performed at baseline, 12, 24 and 52 weeks. Results: The QoL score improved similarly in all three groups by 52 weeks (246%, 51%, and 50% respectively, all p,0.01), although 6MWT increased only slightly (average +3-6%). Recurrent hospitalisation rates were equal in all groups (10-12% in 1 year). At 1 year, LV dimensions or LVEF had not changed in any group, though both systolic and diastolic blood pressures were lowered in all three groups from 4 weeks onwards. At baseline both mean peak systolic (Sm) and early diastolic (Em) mitral annulus velocities were reduced, and increased slightly in the diuretic plus irbesartan (Sm 4.5 (SEM 0.17) to 4.9 (SEM 0.16) cm/sec; Em 3.8 (SEM 0.25) to 4.2 (SEM 0.25) cm/sec) and ramipril (Sm 4.5 (SEM 0.24) to 4.9 (SEM 0.20) cm/sec; Em 3.3 (SEM 0.25) to 4.04 (SEM 0.32) cm/sec) groups (both p,0.05). NT-pro-BNP levels were raised at baseline (595 (SD 905) pg/ml; range 5-4748) and fell in the irbesartan (2124 (SD 302) pg/ml, p = 0.01) and ramipril (2173 (SD 415) pg/ml, p = 0.03) groups only. Conclusions: In this typically elderly group of HF patients with normal LVEF, diuretic therapy significantly improved symptoms and neither irbesartan nor ramipril had a significant additional effect. However, diuretics in combination with irbesartan or ramipril marginally improved LV systolic and diastolic longitudinal LV function, and lowered NT-proBNP over 1 year.

Impaired long-axis motion is a sensitive marker of systolic myocardial dysfunction, but no data are available that relate long-axis changes in systole with those in diastole, particularly in subjects with diastolic dysfunction and a 'normal' left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction. A total of 311 subjects (including 105 normal healthy volunteers) aged 20-89 years with variable degrees of systolic function (LV ejection fraction range 0.15-0.84) and diastolic function were studied using tissue Doppler echocardiography and M-mode echocardiography to determine mean mitral annular amplitude and peak velocity in systole and early and late diastole. The LV systolic mitral annular amplitude (S(LAX), where LAX is long-axis amplitude) and peak velocity (S(m)) correlated well with the respective early diastolic components (E(LAX) and E(m)) and late diastolic (atrial) components (A(LAX) and A(m)). A non-linear equation fitted better than a linear relationship (non-linear model: S(LAX) against E(LAX), r(2)=0.67; S(m) against E(m), r(2)=0.60; S(LAX) against A(LAX) and S(m) against A(m), r(2)=0.42). After adjusting for age, sex and heart rate, linear relationships of early diastolic (E(LAX), r(2)=0.70; E(m), r(2)=0.60) and late diastolic (A(LAX), r(2)=0.61; A(m), r(2)=0.64) long-axis amplitudes and velocities with the respective values for S(LAX) and S(m) were found, even in those subjects with apparently 'isolated' diastolic dysfunction. Long-axis changes in systole or diastole did not correlate with Doppler mitral velocities. We conclude that ventricular long-axis changes in early diastole are closely related to systolic function, even in subjects with diastolic dysfunction. 'Pure' or isolated diastolic dysfunction is uncommon.

The study provides ambulatory BP standards for Chinese children, with sex-related age-specific and height-specific percentiles. Further longitudinal studies are required for investigating its clinical utility in Chinese.

Is underdiagnosed, has a high mortality, and lacks evidence based treatment

LV diastolic mechanical dyssynchrony may impair diastolic function and contribute to the pathophysiology of HFPEF, complicating ACS.