LEFT ATRIAL ENERGY IN NORMAL SUBJECTS, IN PATIENTS WITH SYMPTOMATIC MITRAL-STENOSIS, AND IN PATIENTS WITH ADVANCED HEART-FAILURE

In a population consisting of 45 subjects (15 patients with mitral ste nosis, 15 patients with heart failure, and 15 normal subjects), the le ft atrial (LA) pressure-area relation was assessed and the correlation s between LA stroke work, LA kinetic energy, and LA ejection force wer e studied, The area of the counterclockwise A loop expressing the LA e xternal work was measured. LA kinetic energy was obtained from the for mula: 1/2.stroke volume.1.06.v(2), where v = transmitral Doppler A vel ocity. An excellent correlation was found between LA stroke work index and LA kinetic energy when data from all patients were plotted togeth er (r = 0.95, p <0.001). The Pearson's correlation similarity coeffici ent between LA ejection force and kinetic energy as well as between LA ejection force and stroke work index was r = 0.54 (p <0.001). The r v alue of 0.54 was significantly lower than r 0.95 (p <0.03), LA kinetic energy extends the use of transmitral Flow Doppler data to include as sessment of LA work. LA work can be obtained noninvasively with a high degree of accuracy. (C) 1998 by Excerpta Medica, Inc.