Automated method for calculation of a load-independent index of isovolumic pressure decay from left ventricular pressure data

Diastolic heart failure (DHF) is present in over 50% of hospitalized heart failure patients, and diastolic dysfunction is known to play a critical pathophysiologic role. Measurement of left-ventricular pressure (LVP) via catheterization is the gold standard for diastolic function (DF) evaluation, but current methods fail to fully capitalize on the complete information content of the pressure contour. We have previously demonstrated that a kinematic model of isovolumic pressure decay (IVPD), which accounts for restoring force (stiffness) and resistance (viscoelasticity/relaxation), provides mechanistic insight into IVPD physiology and provides an accurate fit to the recorded contour. Recently we derived a novel load-independent index of isovolumic pressure decay (LIIIVPD) involving IVPD kinematic model stiffness and resistance parameters. In this work we detail methods and provide guidelines by which LIIIVPD computation may be achieved in real-time from the pressure contour recorded during cardiac catheterization.