Lack of correlation between echocardiographic pulmonary valve morphology and simultaneous pulmonary arterial pressure

Pulmonary valve echograms recorded simultaneously with right heart pressures were correlated with mean and end-diastolic pulmonary arterial pressures and the peak magnitude of the right atrial a wave in an attempt to predict noninvasively levels and changes in pulmonary arterial pressure. Satisfactory pulmonary valve echograms were obtained in 16 of 23 patients studied. No significant correlation was found between hemodynamic measurements and the echographic pulmonary valve a wave amplitude, diastolic E-F slope or the systolic opening B-C slope. Changes in hemodynamic measurements observed in serial observations were not associated with predictable changes in configuration of the pulmonary valve echogram. The combination of mid systolic pulmonary valve notching and an absent a wave was observed in more advanced degrees of pulmonary hypertension and was specific, but not sensitive, for that condition.