Tissue doppler imaging findings including prominent s wave in patients with mitral valve prolapse syndrome

Abstract

Background: Mitral valve prolapse (MVP) is allied to a variety of echocardiographic and pathologic findings, not least courtesy of the advent of novel and stringent echocardiographic criteria. MVP enjoys definite and clear-cut characteristics and is, as such, a fertile ground for research. Tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) is a relatively new imaging technique, and there is currently a dearth of information on this modality in patients with MVP syndrome. Objectives: We aimed to evaluate the findings of TDI in MVP syndrome. Patients and Methods: Seventy-five patients with MVP syndrome and 50 normal individuals as the control group were evaluated. The general characteristics and echocardiographic findings, especially TDI results, were evaluated and compared between the two groups. Mitral annular TDI velocities (Sm, Em, and Am) were measured at the lateral corner of the MV in the apical four-chamber view of transthoracic echocardiography. Results: Seventy-five patients (48 females) at a mean age of 26.5 ± 9.4 years and 50 individuals (32 females) at a mean age of 27.1 ± 8.3 years were enrolled in the study. As the important results of our study, Sm wave was much more prominent and much higher in the MVP group (P = 0.00); Em was lower (P = 0.00) and Am was slightly higher (P = 0.12). Furthermore, the E waves of MV inflow for the MVP and control groups were similar and E/Em was significantly higher in the MVP group (P = 0.00); taken together with a higher left atrial volume in this group, this finding revealed a relatively higher left ventricular end-diastolic pressure. Conclusions: Sm wave in TDI is prominent and significantly high in MVP syndrome. Also, our study showed some degree of diastolic dysfunction in MVP patients.