Reliability of Doppler Methods in the Evaluation of the Left Ventricular Systolic Function in Patients with Idiopathic Dilated Cardiomyopathy

BACKGROUND: There are many new methods for evaluating the left ventricle (LV) systolic function. The aim of this study was to compare the methods, which evaluate the systolic function such as Simpson's method, myocardial performance index (MPI), systolic S(m) wave, and dp/dt value of the mitral regurgitation. METHODS: Forty patients (27 male, 13 female, mean age 52.5 +/- 18.2 years) with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy and 40 healthy subjects (27 male, 13 female, mean age 49.3 +/- 10.8 years) were included in the study. All patients and controls underwent echocardiographic examination by M-mode, two-dimensional, pulsed-wave (PW) and continuous wave Doppler and tissue Doppler imaging (TDI). The MPI were measured by the summation of the isovolumetric contraction and relaxation times division of the LV ejection time, with both PW and TDI methods. RESULTS: The cardiac chamber dimensions, MPI, and modified MPI were greater, LV ejection fraction and TDI S(m) wave were lower in the patients compared to the controls (P < 0.001). The LV ejection fraction of patients calculated by Simpson's method compared with novel methods. Value of dp/dt (P = 0.010, r = 0.546), MPI (P = 0.002, r =-0.470) and modified MPI (P = 0.038, r =-0.330) were related to the LV ejection fraction. Tissue Doppler Systolic S(m) wave had a modest correlation with LV ejection fraction (P < 0.001, r = 0.604). CONCLUSION: Doppler and tissue Doppler imaging methods correlate with traditional echocardiographic methods and can be used reliably and safely for left ventricular performance regardless of the patient's echogenity.