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Variation of flow propagation velocity with age
D M Mego1, V S DeGeare, S Y Nottestad
1Cardiology Service, Brooke Army Medical Center, San Antonio, TX 78234, USA.
Summary
Flow propagation velocity, a new echocardiographic measurement, declines with age in healthy adults. This finding is comparable to traditional transmitral Doppler indices of left ventricular filling.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Physiology
- Echocardiography
- Geriatric Cardiology
Background:
- Flow propagation velocity is a novel color Doppler M-mode measurement.
- Assessing left ventricular filling characteristics is crucial for cardiovascular health.
- Understanding age-related changes in cardiac function is essential.
Purpose of the Study:
- Establish normal values for flow propagation velocity in healthy individuals.
- Compare flow propagation velocity with pulsed Doppler transmitral velocities.
- Investigate the influence of age on left ventricular filling parameters.
Main Methods:
- Conducted M-mode, 2D, and Doppler echocardiography on 64 healthy volunteers (ages 21-79).
- Measured flow propagation velocity and transmitral velocities.
- Analyzed correlations between echocardiographic parameters and age.
Main Results:
- Flow propagation velocity significantly decreased with age (r = -0.59, p < 0.001).
- Peak early diastolic filling velocity and E/A ratio also showed negative correlations with age.
- Peak atrial filling velocity and its integral increased with age.
- Flow propagation velocity reduced by 44% across age groups.
Conclusions:
- Flow propagation velocity is significantly influenced by age in healthy individuals.
- Age-related changes in flow propagation velocity parallel those observed with transmitral Doppler indices.
- These findings highlight normal age-related alterations in left ventricular filling.