Short deceleration time of mitral inflow E velocity: Prognostic implication with atrial fibrillation versus sinus rhythm

The present study retrospectively identified 367 patients who had restrictive physiology as defined by deceleration time less than or equal to 130 msec; 293 were in sinus rhythm (SR) (194 men and 99 women; mean age 64 +/- 14 years) and 74 were in atrial fibrillation (AF) (51 men and 23 women; mean age 72 +/- 11 years; p < 0.001). Both groups had similar underlying diagnoses and no significant difference in Doppler indices (E wave, 96 +/- 23 vs 99 +/- 22 cm/sec in SR and AF, respectively; deceleration time, 116 +/- 12 vs 116 +/- 13 msec; and left ventricular outflow tract time velocity integral, 14.8 +/- 4.8 vs 14.5 +/- 4.4 cm). Left ventricular ejection fraction was significantly lower in SR patients (29% +/- 16% vs 39% +/- 20%; P = 0.0003). There were 120 deaths (41%) in the SR group and 35 (47%) in the AP group (median follow-up for both groups, 2.2 years). Restrictive physiology as defined by Doppler echocardiography (deceleration time less than or equal to 130 msec) appears to predict a similar poor prognosis with AF as with SR.