Doppler echocardiographic estimation of left ventricular end-diastolic pressure after MI in rats

The spectral Doppler mitral flow pattern, alone or combined with tissue Doppler mitral annulus velocity, can be used to predict left ventricular (LV) filling pressure in humans, whereas invasive hemodynamic measurements are still required in the rat. This study was undertaken to assess whether LV end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP) can be estimated using Doppler echocardiography in the rat after myocardial infarction (MI). Thirty-seven rats (23 rats with MI after left coronary artery ligation and 14 sham-operated rats) were evaluated 3 mo after surgery with echo-Doppler and invasive hemodynamic measurements. Pulse wave spectral Doppler at the mitral valve tip was used to measure the E wave, the E wave deceleration time (DT), and the A wave; spectral Doppler tissue imaging was used to measure the early diastolic lateral mitral annulus velocity (Ea). We found weak correlations between LVEDP and the peak velocity of the early mitral inflow (E), E/peak velocity of the late mitral inflow, and DT, and strong correlations with Ea and especially with E/E-a [R-2 = 0.89, LVEDP (in mmHg) = 0.987E/ E-a - 4.229]. Longitudinal followup of a subgroup of rats with MI revealed a marked rise of E/E-a between days 7 and 21 in rats with heart failure only. We conclude that Doppler echocardiography can be used for serial assessment of LV diastolic function in rats with MI.