Left ventricular function in aortic valve endocarditis. Echocardiographic evaluation and comparison with findings in chronic aortic regurgitation.

The value of M-mode echocardiography in assessment of left ventricular (LV) function in patients with aortic regurgitation due to aortic valve endocarditis (AVE) was studied in 12 consecutive patients and compared with the findings in 30 patients with chronic aortic regurgitation (CAR). Patients with AVE had markedly increased LV end-diastolic and end-systolic diameters, whereas fractional shortening was normal. A linear correlation was found between the LV ejection fractions calculated by echocardiography and angiography, but echocardiography markedly overestimated the ejection fractions. There was a close linear correlation between the prematurity of mitral valve closure (MVC) and LV end-diastolic pressure. Patients with CAR had lower end-diastolic pressure, similarly increased LV internal diameters and none had premature MVC. Thus, M-mode echocardiography can identify patients with premature MVC and high LV filling pressure. However, echocardiographic LV function indices based on measurement of internal dimensions overestimate the LV function and these data should be interpreted with caution.