AimsThe aim of this study was to determine whether myocardial velocity gradients assessed by M-mode colour Doppler tissue imaging could be of clinical relevance and represent reliable indicators of regional left ventricular function after acute myocardial infarction.
Methods and ResultsAmong 64 consecutive patients with a first acute myocardial infarction, in 50 who had a marked asynergy in the parasternal short-axis view at the mid-papillary muscle level, myocardial velocities and velocity gradients were assessed in the anteroseptum and posterior wall by M-mode Doppler tissue imaging. Similar measurements were obtained in 11 matched healthy volunteers who served as a control group.In patients with anterior myocardial infarction, the peak myocardial velocity gradient in the anteroseptum was significantly lower when compared with controls (mean [SD] 0·0 0·5 vs 1·1 0·7 s 1 during systole, P<0·01; and 0·3 0·6 vs 2·0 0·5 s 1 during diastole, P<0·01). Conversely, the peak systolic myocardial velocity gradient in the posterior wall was significantly higher than in controls (2·6 1·2 vs 1·8 1·2 s 1 , P<0·05).In patients with inferior myocardial infarction, the peak velocity gradient in the posterior wall was significantly lower when compared with healthy subjects (0·9 0·6 vs 1·8 1·2 s 1 during systole and 1·4 1·4 vs 4·9 1·2 s 1 during diastole, both P<0·01). The peak systolic tissue velocity gradient in the anteroseptum was significantly higher than in controls (2·1 1·0 vs 1·1 0·7 s