HEMODYNAMIC SIGNIFICANCE OF THE ATRIOVENTRICULAR PLANE DISPLACEMENT IN PATIENTS WITH CORONARY-ARTERY DISEASE

Echocardiographic quantitative assessment of the atrioventricular plane displacement (AVPD) in systole towards the apex has been used to estimate global left ventricular (L V) function. The study population consisted of 106 patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) with or without previous myocardial infarction and 40 age-matched healthy subjects. The AVPD was recorded from the apical four-and two-chamber views at four sites corresponding to the septal, lateral, anterior and posterior walls of the left ventricle. A mean displacement (A Vmean) was calculated from the above sites. A Vmean was significantly decreased in patients with CAD compared to healthy subjects (P<0.001). In patients in whom the left ventricular ejection fraction (L VEF) was calculated from cineangiograms a good correlation between A Vmean and LVEF was found (r = 0.89, P < 0.001, SEE= 6.4). Selecting an A Vmean of 10 min or more to define a normal L VEF ( 2.55%) resulted in a sensitivity of 92% and a specificity of 87% in predicting a normal versus abnormal left ventricular systolic function. It is concluded that the ease of recording the A VPD by echocardiography provides a simple and valuable non-invasive method to assess global left ventricular function in patients with CAD. © 1992 The European Society of Cardiology.