Range of tricuspid regurgitation velocity at rest and during exercise in normal adult men: Implications for the diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension

OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to explore the full range of tricuspid valve regurgitation velocity (TRV) at rest and with exercise in disease fr ee individuals. Additionally we examined the relationship of stroke volume (SV), cardiac output (CO) and TRV to exercise capacity. BACKGROUND Doppler evaluation of TRV can be used to estimate pulmonary arte ry systolic pressure (PASP). Most studies have assumed TRV less than or equ al to 2.5 m/s as the upper limits of normal. The full range of TRV with exe rcise has been incompletely defined. METHODS Highly conditioned athletes (n = 26) and healthy, active, young mal e volunteers (n = 14) underwent standardized recumbent bicycle exercise. Ex ercise parameters included: TRV, SV, CO, systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) systemic blood pressure. RESULTS Tricuspid valve regurgitation, SV, HR and CO were significantly hig her in athletes than in nonathletes over all workloads, including rest Syst olic blood pressure and DBP did not show Significant differences between th e two groups. CONCLUSIONS This study defines the upper physiologic limits of TRV at rest and during exercise in normals and provides a noninvasive standard for the diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension. (C) 1999 by the American College of Ca rdiology.