Doppler echocardiographic evaluation of valve regurgitation in healthy volunteers.

OBJECTIVE To study the prevalence and the characteristics of physiological valve regurgitation. DESIGN Pulsed wave Doppler echocardiography, continuous wave Doppler echocardiography and Doppler colour flow mapping were performed prospectively in healthy volunteers. SETTING Echocardiography laboratory in a city hospital. PATIENTS 32 consecutive healthy volunteers (age 21-49 years, mean age 29.4). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Identification of regurgitation with colour Doppler flow mapping and measurement of the jet area, jet length, and maximal velocity of the regurgitation. RESULTS Regurgitation was recorded at the pulmonary (100%), tricuspid (100%), mitral (56%), and aortic valves (6%). The velocity of pulmonary and tricuspid regurgitation was similar to that predicted from the pressure gradient calculated from the Bernoulli equation. The jet area and jet length were generally small. CONCLUSION Trivial regurgitation from the pulmonary, tricuspid, and mitral valves is common in healthy people. It is important to take such regurgitation into account when valve disease is diagnosed.