Effect of increasing age on diastolic motion of the left ventricular atrioventricular plane in normal subjects

Aims: To determine the effect of ageing on diastolic motion of the atrioventricular plane in normal subjects. Methods and results: One hundred normal subjects (age range 43 to 78 years) underwent an echocardiographic examination and determination of diastolic motion of the atrioventricular plane. The total displacement declined with increasing age at the septum (p<0.01) but not at other sites. The rate of change of early displacement declined with increasing age at all sites (p<0.001). The displacement due to atrial systole increased with increasing age (p<0.05). Conclusion: Important changes in diastolic function in normal subjects occur in the fifth and sixth decades. This may relate to the change in calcium metabolism within the myocardium seen with increasing age. It is not possible to determine from the study whether these changes are due to ageing per se or to environmental factors associated with ageing.