[Correlation between Doppler echocardiography and invasive determination of left ventricular hemodynamic valve...

Simultaneously performed combined Doppler/catheter studies have shown excellent correlations regarding the comparison of invasively and non-invasively obtained valve gradients. To reflect daily clinical life the current study compared the valve parameters obtained by Doppler echocardiography to those obtained later by catheterization in all consecutive patients who underwent invasive procedure between October 1988 and December 1990. A total of 113 patients was included in the study, 76 with aortic and 37 with mitral stenosis. Regarding the mean aortic valve gradient the following correlations were obtained: all patients: r = .79, patients with an ejection fraction > 50% (n = 59): r = .81, patients with an ejection fraction < 50% (n = 17): r = .67, patients with additional aortic insufficiency (n = 21): r = .77. When the mean mitral valve gradient was compared the correlation was r = .71 for all patients and r = .44 when additional mitral regurgitation was present (n = 10). The comparison of the mitral valve orifice area (n = 30) showed a correlation of r = .58.

Non-simultaneously performed combined Doppler/catheter studies in unselected patients do reflect daily clinical life, however, correlations are not as good as in corresponding simultaneously performed investigations, thus emphasizing the impact of the study conditions on the final results.