[Doppler echocardiography in the evaluation of the results of balloon catheter valvuloplasty in aortic valve stenosis].

This study was undertaken to assess the diagnostic value of Doppler echocardiographic methods for determination of the mean pressure gradient and valve orifice area in the evaluation of the results of balloon valvuloplasty (PTVP) in aortic stenosis by comparison with invasively-determined measurements. In 16 patients with aortic valve stenosis, eight men and eight women, mean age 64 +/- 10 years, Doppler echocardiographic studies were performed one day before and after PTVP. The mean pressure gradient was calculated with the aid of the modified Bernoulli equation and the aortic valve orifice area with the continuity equation. After PTVP, on comparison of Doppler echocardiographic and invasively-determined pressure gradients, there was no significant correlation (n = 16, y = 0.3x + 18.7, r = 0.36, SEE = 9.3 mm Hg) (Figure 2). Prior to PTVP the two methods correlated reasonably well with each other (n = 16, y = 0.6x + 7.7, r = 0.54, SEE = 17.8 mm Hg) (Figure 2). On comparison of the Doppler echocardiographic and invasively-determined aortic valve orifice area, both after and before PTVP, there were significant linear correlations (n = 8, y = 0.41x + 0.41, r = 0.73, SEE = 0.12 cm2 and n = 14, y = 0.71x + 0.17, r = 0.86, SEE = 0.10 cm2, respectively) (Figure 4). Correspondingly, there was close agreement between the change in absolute aortic valve orifice areas determined invasively (0.18 +/- 0.15 cm2) and noninvasively (0.15 +/- 0.10 cm2, n = 8).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)