Post-systolic shortening influences early diastolic filling in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy

We investigated whether post-systolic contraction has an impact on the diastolic function in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). Forty-eight DCM patients and 14 healthy volunteers underwent standard echocardiography, tissue Doppler imaging and strain focusing on diastolic function. The loops were recorded and post-systolic strain index (PSI) derived from speckle tracking strain analysis was assessed off-line. The post-systolic contraction was observed in 86% of the DCM patients. In correlations of post-systolic strain index and individual diastolic parameters, mitral anulus velocity in early diastole (Ea) showed statistically significant relation ( r =−0.48, p =0.001) as well as the ratio of peak velocity of transmitral filling in early diastole and mitral anulus velocity in early diastole (E/Ea) ( r =0.39, p =0.012). Other assessed diastolic parameters did not reveal any significant correlations with PSI; peak velocity of transmitral filling in early (E) and late diastole (A), decelerating time of early diastolic filling (DT), mitral anulus velocity in late diastole (Aa). There is a significant association between post-systolic shortening and a worsening of left ventricle (LV) diastolic filling in DCM patients.