[Seismocardiography--a noninvasive technique for estimating left ventricular function. Preliminary results].

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Biomedical Engineering
• Exercise Physiology

Background:

• Seismocardiography (SCG) analyzes low-frequency waves from cardiac mechanical activity.
• SCG offers a non-invasive approach to evaluate heart biomechanics.
• It holds potential for monitoring cardiac function during stress tests.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the utility of SCG exercise testing in estimating left ventricular systolic and diastolic function.
• To compare SCG findings in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) versus healthy controls.

Main Methods:

• Symptom-limited exercise tolerance testing (ETT) combined with SCG was performed on 50 participants (20 CHD patients, 30 healthy controls).
• Standard ETT parameters (duration, workload, heart rate, blood pressure) were recorded.
• Left ventricular systolic and diastolic time intervals (PEP, LVET, PEP/LVET, IRT) were measured at rest and during exercise.

Main Results:

• Healthy volunteers demonstrated superior physical capacity compared to CHD patients.
• Patients with lower ejection fraction exhibited prolonged pre-ejection period (PEP) and increased PEP/LVET ratio.
• SCG revealed significant differences in diastolic and systolic time intervals between groups at rest and during exercise.

Conclusions:

• SCG exercise testing is a valuable tool for monitoring left ventricular systolic and diastolic function in patients with ischemic heart disease (IHD).
• SCG provides insights into cardiac mechanics that complement traditional stress testing.