Effect of aortic valvular regurgitation upon the impedance cardiogram.

The first derivative thoracic impedance cardiogram, phonocardiogram, and electrocardiogram were recorded in three groups of 22 subjects each. In Group 1 (control), simultaneous impedance cardiogram, phonocardiogram, and aortic valve echocardiograms showed that the X point of the impedance cardiogram occurred synchronously with the aortic second heart sound and with echocardiographic aortic valve closure. In group 2 (clinical diagnosis of aortic regurgitation) the scalar magnitude of the impedance cardiogram O wave and the ratios of the impedance cardiogram wave form X/dz/dtmax and O/dz/dtmax were different from control. In addition, the early diastolic (X) and systolic portions (S) of the impedance cardiogram wave form of group 3 patients were planimetered and expressed as the ratio X/S, called the impedance cardiographic aortic regurgitant fraction (aortic RFI). The aortic RFI was increased by handgrip, a manoeuvre which acutely increases the magnitude of aortic regurgitation. The difference between Fick cardiac output and left ventricular angiographic output was used to calculate aortic valvular regurgitant fraction, which related closely to the impedance cardiogram. These data suggest that it is useful in the noninvasive assessment of aortic regurgitation.