Left ventricular asynchrony in patients with pulmonary hypertension

Left ventricular regional wall motion was evaluated in 11 patients with pulmonary hypertension and 18 control subjects. All 11 patients had secondary pulmonary hypertension and less than 20% measured diameter stenosis in any vessel. This study utilizes a video-intensity-based frame-by-frame computerized technique. All pulmonary hypertensive patients showed early diastolic asynchrony in the anterior or apical regions that lasted 100-200 ms. The size of the abnormal area varied from 2 to 20% of the ventricular silhouette. Four patients also showed systolic abnormalities. No abnormalities were detected in the control group. The cause of the asynchrony detected in pulmonary hypertension is probably due to interventricular interaction caused by pressure gradients across the septum.