Relationship between diastolic atrio-ventricular pressure gradient and Doppler determined rapid inflow

The diastolic atrio-ventricular pressure gradient is one of the major determinants of ventricular inflow. The purpose of this study was to obtain very accurate pressure gradients across the mitral valve and compare these with peak early diastolic flow velocity from Doppler echocardiography. In 16 closed chest anesthetized mongrel dogs high gain left ventricular pressure and left atrial pressures were measured, digitized and the pressure gradient calculated. Simultaneously a Doppler tracing was obtained from a sample region between the mitral valve leaflets. The maximal positive and negative early diastolic pressure gradients were correlated with peak E and with peak positive and negative derivatives as well. Highly significant linear correlations were obtained between pressure and flow velocity variables.<>