Left ventricular inflow propagation velocity: comparisons between pulsed wave and color M-mode Doppler...

Sixty-six participants (age 58 +/- 16 years) were included for evaluation of the relationship between color M-mode and pulsed wave Doppler left ventricular inflow propagation velocity (LVIPVcmm and LVIPVpw, respectively). LVIPVpw was measured through the application of the range ambiguity phenomenon, and LVIPVcmm was obtained by manually tracing the first aliasing velocity during the early filling. The variability for LVIPVpw measurements was significantly less than that for LVIPVcmm measurements. There was a significant correlation (r = 0.678, P <.001) between LVIPVcmm and LVIPVpw for all study participants. However, LVIPVpw was greater than LVIPVcmm, especially when the inflow propagation time was relatively short. Age was the only determinant of both LVIPVcmm and LVIPVpw in the control group. As for the patients with diseases retarding inflow propagation, age remained its determinant. However, its impact decreased and the end-systolic dimension and fractional shortening of the left ventricle, instead, turned out to be its major determinant. In conclusion, LVIPVpw measurements are more reproducible than LVIPVcmm measurements. LVIPVpw correlates with LVIPVcmm and their difference significantly correlates with left ventricular inflow propagation time.