Effects of mitral stenosis on pulmonary venous flow as measured by Doppler transesophageal echocardiography

Abstract

Pulmonary venous flow as assessed by transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is influenced by changes in left atrial pressure and function. In mitral stenosis (MS), normal left atrial hemodynamics are altered because there is a prolonged decay in diastolic pressure from the left atrium to the left ventricle and atrial function may be altered because of atrial fibrillation. To assess the effect of the prolonged atrial diastolic pressure decay caused by MS on pulmonary venous flow, we studied 27 patients with MS (mitral valve range 0.7 to 2.4 cm2) by pulsed-wave Doppler TEE of the left or right upper pulmonary vein, and compared results with those of 13 normal subjects. Of the 27 subjects with MS, 61% showed a blunted systolic flow pattern and 39% showed a normal flow pattern with greater systolic to diastolic flow ratio. Patients with atrial fibrillation had a predominantly blunted pattern, whereas patients with normal sinus rhythm exhibited both blunted and normal flow patterns. Patients with MS had a lower pulmonary venous peak systolic flow velocity and a longer diastolic pressure halftime than control subjects. Pulmonary venous peak systolic flow velocity was significantly decreased in the presence of atrial fibrillation (p = 0.004). The mitral valve pressure halftime significantly correlated with pulmonary venous diastolic pressure halftime (r = 0.54; p = 0.004) mitral valve area (r = -0.46; p = 0.02). In conclusion, it was found that MS alters pulmonary venous flow patterns, showing a decreased pulmonary venous systolic flow and a prolonged diastolic flow, which may be useful in assessing the hemodynamics of MS.