Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 30, 2026
A Pacing-Controlled Procedure for the Assessment of Heart Rate-Dependent Diastolic Functions in Murine Heart Failure Models
Published on: July 21, 2023
Changes in tissue-Doppler echocardiographic assessment of left ventricular filling during NT-proBNP guided heart
Cara A Wasywich1, Gillian A Whalley, Helen A Walsh
1Green Lane Cardiovascular Service, Auckland City Hospital, Private Bag 92024, Auckland 1031, New Zealand. caraw@adhb.govt.nz
Background:
Although brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) and E/Ea are closely related in heart failure (HF) patients and may be helpful to guide HF therapy, the response of E/Ea to changes in BNP over several weeks of intensive HF treatment optimisation is unknown. This study was designed to investigate this relationship.
Methods And Results:
In 17 patients with decompensated HF, treatment was titrated to reduce the NT-proBNP level to <200pg/mL over 10 weeks. Paired NT-proBNP measurements and echocardiograms were performed at two weekly intervals during the study. Treatment titration was associated with a reduction in E/Ea (17.6+/-6.8S.D. to 13.7+/-5.0S.D., p=0.018) in keeping with the reduction in NT-proBNP (median 603 [S.E. 561] to 311 [S.E. 235], p=0.045). This relationship remained in those who responded to titration (reduction in NT-proBNP of >or=50%), and those who did not. The overall change in E/Ea was similar to the changes observed in NT-proBNP in each group however there appeared to be temporal differences in the changes in E/Ea and NT-proBNP.
Conclusion:
This pilot study demonstrates that the E/Ea decreases after NT-proBNP guided HF therapy. E/Ea may be a complementary target for HF therapy optimisation; this hypothesis should be further evaluated in larger scale randomised trials.
