Why the study?
Does gender affect left ventricular Doppler inflow variables in normal subjects?
Does gender affect left ventricular Doppler inflow variables in normal subjects?
Gender differences in Doppler measurements of E wave deceleration time are primarily driven by higher heart rates in women, highlighting the need to account for heart rate when interpreting these parameters.
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May warrant heart rate adjustment when interpreting gender differences in E wave deceleration time; leaves open need for adjusted reference values.
BACKGROUND: Doppler echocardiographic parameters are useful in understanding cardiac function. Previous studies have evaluated the physiologic effects of heart rate, body position, and age on left ventricular (LV) Doppler inflow variables. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of gender on LV Doppler inflow variables. METHODS: A complete echocardiographic study was performed in the left lateral position on 25 male and 25 female normal subjects. The Doppler variables, of E and A wave velocities, acceleration and deceleration times of the E wave velocity, and cardiac chamber dimensions were measured. RESULTS: The aortic root size (3.2 +/- 0.4 vs 2.8 +/- 0.4 cm, P = 0.002), LV end systolic (2.8 +/- 0.3 vs 2.5 +/- 0.5 cm, P = 0.03), and LV end diastolic dimensions (5.0 +/- 0.4 vs 4.5 +/- 0.6 cm, P = 0.003) were larger in men compared to women. E wave deceleration time (233 +/- 40 vs 197 +/- 37 msec, P = 0.002) was longer in men compared to women. Using univariate analysis, deceleration time of the E wave was correlated with heart rate (P = 0.001), maximal A wave velocity (P = 0.007), acceleration time of the E wave (P = 0.01), LV systolic dimension (P = 0.03), maximal E wave velocity (P = 0.04), LV diastolic dimension (P = 0.06), and height (P = 0.07). E/A ratio, body surface area, age, weight, and left atrial dimension had no significant correlation with the deceleration time of the E wave. In the multivariate model, heart rate (P = 0.001) had the most significant (inverse) correlation with deceleration time of the E wave. CONCLUSIONS: In this cohort of subjects, there were significant differences in LV systolic and diastolic measurements and Doppler measurements of deceleration time of the E wave between men and women. The differences in Doppler measurements between men and women are most likely affected by the higher heart rate in women. Therefore, when interpreting deceleration time of the E wave, the effect of heart rate should be considered.
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Sadaniantz et al. (1997) studied this question.
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