Ratio of left ventricular peak E-wave velocity to flow propagation velocity assessed by color M-mode Doppler echocardiography in first myocardial infarction: prognostic and clinical implications.

OBJECTIVES To determine the ability of the ratio of peak E-wave velocity to flow propagation velocity (E/Vp) measured with color M-mode Doppler echocardiography to predict in-hospital heart failure and cardiac mortality in an unselected consecutive population with first myocardial infarction (MI). BACKGROUND Several experimental studies indicate color M-mode echocardiography to be a valuable tool in the evaluation of diastolic function, but data regarding the clinical value are lacking. METHODS Echocardiography was performed within 24 h of arrival at the coronary care unit in 110 consecutive patients with first MI. Highest Killip class was determined during hospitalization. Patients were divided into groups according to E/Vp <1.5 and > or =1.5. RESULTS During hospitalization 53 patients were in Killip class > or =II. In patients with E/Vp > or =1.5, Killip class was significantly higher compared with patients with E/Vp <1.5 (p < 0.0001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified E/Vp > or =1.5 to be the single best predictor of in-hospital clinical heart failure when compared with age, heart rate, E-wave deceleration time (Dt), left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction, wall motion index, enzymatic infarct size and Q-wave MI. At day 35 survival in patients with E/Vp <1.5 was 98%, while for patients with E/Vp > or =1.5, it was 58% (p < 0.0001). Cox proportional hazards model identified Dt <140 ms, E/Vp > or =1.5 and age to be independent predictors of cardiac death, with Dt < 140 ms being superior to age and E/Vp. CONCLUSIONS In the acute phase of MI, E/Vp > or =1.5 measured with color M-mode echocardiography is a strong predictor of in-hospital heart failure. Furthermore, E/Vp is superior to systolic measurements in predicting 35 day survival although Dt <140 ms is the most powerful predictor of cardiac death.