Right Ventricular Outflow Tract Acceleration Time: Correlation with Left Ventricular Diastolic Function, Sex, And Age

Abstract

Background:

Pulmonary artery acceleration time (PAAT) can be used as a parameter in the evaluation of pulmonary hypertension and aids left ventricular diastolic function (LVDF) analyses.

Objective:

To assess whether there is a correlation between PAAT and LVDF parameters in individuals with a preserved left ventricular systolic function and by sex, age, and cardiovascular risk factors.

Methods:

Observational cross-sectional study. One hundred nineteen patients were selected (59 women [49.6%]). The subjects underwent transthoracic echocardiography including measurements of PAAT, E and A waves and E/A ratio, e’ septal and e’ lateral waves and E/e’ ratio, pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP), and left atrial volume.

Results:

In female patients, a positive correlation (Spearman’s correlation coefficient – Spearman correlation coefficient [SCC]) was found between the PAAT value and the lateral e’ (SCC, 0.47; p = 0.002), with the E/A ratio (SCC, 0.32; p = 0.04), and with septal e’ (SCC, 0.36; p = 0.023), and a negative correlation between PAAT and PASP (SCC, -0.43; p = 0.034). In men, no correlation was found between PAAT and any parameters. Lower PAAT values were found in women with systemic arterial hypertension (hypertension) than in women without hypertension (0.13 ± 0.03 s versus 0.16 ± 0.03 s; p = 0.015).

Conclusion:

The present study showed a significant correlation between PAAT and some LVDF parameters in female patients only. Hypertension was correlated with lower PAAT values in women.