Evidence of Improved Regional Myocardial Function in Patients With Chronic Stable Angina and Apparent Normal Ventricular Function—A Tissue Doppler Study Before and After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

Background

The aim of this study was to determine the impact of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) on myocardial function assessed by tissue Doppler echocardiography.

Methods

Myocardial tissue peak velocities were recorded at the lateral, septal, posterior, and inferior angles of the mitral annulus as well as at the lateral tricuspid annulus by pulsed-wave tissue Doppler echocardiography before PCI, as well as 1 day and 6 weeks after intervention.

Results

Twenty-four consecutive patients with chronic stable angina and preserved systolic left ventricular function (20 men; mean age, 64 ± 9 years) undergoing PCI were studied. Compared with preinterventional values, early diastolic velocities improved at all sites (P < .05 for each). The most pronounced improvement occurred in the septal area. Similarly, systolic peak velocity improved in the septal, lateral, inferior, and right ventricular areas (P < .04 for each).

Conclusions

Tissue Doppler parameters of diastolic and systolic function improve early after successful PCI, and this effect persists to 6 weeks after intervention.

Keywords: Doppler tissue imaging, Coronary artery disease, Percutaneous coronary intervention