SummaryDoppler-derived myocardial performance index (MPI) has been described as a noninvasive measurement of LV function. Our aim was to investigate the effect of hemodialysis related volume reduction and heart rate changes on the Doppler-derived LV MPI, and Doppler tissue imaging (DTI) derived left and right ventricular MPI.Method: The study group comprised 32 consecutive patients (mean age: 43 ± 18 yrs) undergoing hemodialysis. Patients underwent echocardiography before and immediately after hemodialysis session. Left and right ventricular MPI derived from conventional pulsed-wave Doppler and DTI was calculated. The difference in MPI, heart rate and body weight was calculated before and after hemodialysis.Results: Doppler-derived LV MPI, and right ventricular MPI obtained by DTI were increased (p = 0.05) but the LV MPI obtained by DTI was unchanged after hemodialysis. There is a significant positive correlation between the Doppler-derived LV MPI difference and volume reduction (r = 0.38, p = 0.032). The heart rate difference was correlated with Doppler-derived LV MPI difference, and DTI derived right ventricular MPI difference (r = 0.38, p = 0.034; r = 0.48, p = 0.006, respectively). Whereas, DTI derived LV MPI difference was not correlated with heart rate difference. By the multivariate analysis, there was no correlation between Doppler-derived LV MPI difference with heart rate difference, and volume reduction. Right ventricular MPI difference correlated with heart rate difference (r = 0.41, p = 0.021) but not with volume reduction. Doppler-derived MPI is partially influenced by preload and heart rate changes. However, DTI derived LV MPI is not influenced by preload and heart rate changes.

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enopause is a critical period in a woman's life, during which many physiologic and pathologic changes occur. Women spend one-third of their lifetime in this period and the hormonal changes that occur during this period have significant influences on several organs and systems. The cardiovascular system is among the most dramatically affected systems. Changes in cardiovascular risk factors due to estrogen deficiency and subsequent increase in cardiovascular morbidity and mortality have been demonstrated in several studies. [1][2][3] Structural and functional changes in the heart can also occur during the postmenopausal period. The effects of menopause on cardiac structure and function have not been investigated adequately. Interpretation of the results of the few previous studies 4-6 comparing pre-and postmenopausal women comprises some difficulties, owing to significant age differences and small sample sizes. Moreover, cardiac functions have been evaluated only by conventional 2-dimensional (D) and M-mode echocardiography in these studies, thus the extent of influence on more recent echocardiographic parameters after menopause have not been adequately analyzed.Tissue Doppler echocardiography (TDE) is a relatively new technique, which is partially utilized in recent years to evaluate cardiac functions via measurement of myocardial velocities. 7 Also, myocardial performance index (MPI) has been recognized as a parameter that reflects ventricular systolic and diastolic functions. 8,9 To our knowledge, no literature exists on how myocardial velocities, as measured by TDE, which have some advantages over standard echocardiographic methods, and MPI, which provides a more quantitative and global evaluation of left ventricular (LV), are affected by menopause. The present study was designed to investigate how myocardial velocities measured by TDE and MPI, which together provide more quantitative data on regional and global ventricular functions, are affected by menopause. Methods Study PopulationSubjects were selected from healthy women admitted to the gynecology and obstetrics, and cardiology outpatient departments between 2001 and 2006. After informed consent was obtained, a prospective analysis was performed. Body weight and height of all subjects were measured and body mass index was calculated. Fasting blood samples were drawn for biochemical and hematological investigations and ECGs were done. An exercise stress test using Bruce protocol and subsequent echocardiographic evaluations were performed. Postmenopausal status was confirmed as being in menopause for at least 12 months with serum follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels of >30 mU/ml and estrogen levels of <20 pg/ml, and premenopausal status Effects of Menopause on the Myocardial Velocities and Myocardial Performance IndexMehmet Akif Düzenli, MD; Kurtulus Ozdemir, MD; Abdullah Sokmen, MD**; Ahmet Soylu, MD; Nazif Aygul, MD; Kazim Gezginc, MD*; Mehmet Tokac, MD Background Although menopause is known to increase cardiovascular risk and mortality, the effect ...

This study was planned to investigate the normal reference values of myocardial performance index (MPI) obtained by tissue Doppler echocardiography (TDE) and the agreement between MPI measured by TDE and conventional MPI measured by pulsed-wave Doppler (PWD) in healthy subjects and patients with heart failure (HF). Two hundred and three patients with HF and 190 healthy subjects were enrolled in this study. Isovolumic contraction and relaxation time (ICT and IRT) and ejection time (ET) were measured from mitral inflow and left ventricular (LV) outflow. Tissue Doppler echocardiography recordings were obtained at the septal, lateral, inferior, and anterior of the mitral annulus and same time intervals were measured. Myocardial performance index was calculated. The functional capacity of the patients with HF was determined according to New York Heart Association classification. TDE-MPI values were higher than conventional PWD-MPI values in both groups (53%+/-8% vs 48%+/-11%, P<0.0001 in the healthy subjects; 84%+/-21% vs 72%+/-19%, P<0.0001 in the patients with HF). Moderate agreement was found between PWD-MPI and LV mean TDE-MPI in both groups. In identifying patients with moderately or severely decreased LV ejection fraction, TDE-MPI had higher cutoff values than conventional PWD-MPI, and TDE-MPI had higher specificity, sensitivity, negative predictive value, and diagnostic accuracy. In patients with HF, TDE-MPI had a stronger correlation with LV ejection fraction and functional capacity than did PWD-MPI. TDE-MPI is an alternative to conventional PWD-MPI in assessment of cardiac function. However, the higher MPI cutoff points should be considered when this method is used for the evaluation of cardiac function.