Pulmonary Venous Flow and Correlates in Patients with Aortic Stenosis

Abstract

In order to determine the value of pulmonary venous flow (PVF) pulsed Doppler measurements in assessing filling pressures in aortic stenosis (AS), we studied 20 patients by transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography and catheter examination. Peak systolic PVF correlated with pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP) (r =‐0.67, P < 0.01), the ratio of peak systolic to diastolic PVF correlated with PCWP (r =‐0.68, P < 0.01) and left ventricular end‐diastolic pressure (r =‐0.51, P < 0.01). Peak systolic PVF < 40 cm / sec was highly sensitive and specific in the detection of PCWP ≥ 15 mmHg (100% and 84%, respectively). Correlations between PVF and pulsed Doppler transmitral indices were also found (r = 0.66 between peak systolic to diastolic PVF and peak late transmitral velocity, P < 0.01); however, PVF indices predicted filling pressures better than Doppler transmitral indices. In conclusion PVF indices are accurate predictors of high filling pressures in AS patients.