PLASMA ATRIAL-NATRIURETIC-PEPTIDE IS RELATED TO SYSTOLIC BUT NOT DIASTOLIC MYOCARDIAL-FUNCTION - DETERMINATION BY ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY 24-H AFTER MYOCARDIAL-INFARCTION

The relationship between plasma ANP and systolic and diastolic left ve ntricular myocardial function, as determined by echocardiography, was investigated. Thirty-one patients were examined 24 h after onset of ac ute myocardial infarction. The systolic parameters measured were: wall motion index (WMI), ejection fraction, systolic volume index and dias tolic volume index. Diastolic function was evaluated by mitral flow, a nalysis and isovolumic relaxation time. The following parameters were measured in the mitral flow: peak velocity of early flow, peak velocit y of atrial flow, the early/atrial ratio, deceleration rate of the ear ly flow and atrial filling fraction. A blood sample was drawn from eac h patient for ANP analysis at the same time as the echocardiographic e xamination. A correlation between plasma-ANP and systolic function was found (ejection fraction. r = -0.60, P < 0.001, systolic volume index : r = 0.68, P < 0.001; diastolic volume index: r = 0.47, P < 0.01; WMI : r = -0.42, P < 0.05) whereas no correlation was found between any of the diastolic parameters and plasma ANP (P > 0.10 for all the variabl es). We conclude that there is a significant correlation between plasm a ANP and systolic function, as evaluated by echocardiography 24 h aft er AMI, whereas there was no corresponding relationship between plasma ANP and diastolic function.