[Early isovolumetric relaxation: correlation with the densitometric analysis of coronary stenosis]

Early relaxation is characterized by a segmental outward wall movement during isovolumic relaxation. There is still no general agreement as to its significance. Some Authors have considered the phenomenon to be a specific marker of isolated coronary narrowing, others have regarded it as a normal variation of left ventricular relaxation and still others concluded that it is a compensatory phenomenon to local ischemia in another region. We used a method of quantitative assessment of regional left ventricular function and a videodensitometric analysis of coronary stenosis. In our study we didn't observe an improved systolic function of the regions that presented early relaxation, but a slight non significant reduction. We did neither observe any correlation between early relaxation and ischemia provoked by stress test nor between early relaxation and coronary artery disease. The amplitude of early relaxation was not statistically different between patients with and without stenosis of left anterior descending artery. We conclude that early relaxation is a normal variation of left ventricular relaxation.