Tissue Doppler imaging evaluation of left and right ventricular function in healthy adults

AIM: To study left and right ventricular function in healthy adults by tissue Doppler imaging (TDI). METHODS: Three hundred healthy adults were divided into six groups according to age. Systolic and diastolic velocity of mitral and tricuspid annulus were measured in apical 4-chamber views by TDI: peak systolic velocity (Vs), peak early diastolic velocity (Ve), peak late diastolic velocity (Va), and Ve/Va. RESULTS: A negative correlation was observed between Ve/Va and age（r1=-0.946, P<0.01 and r2=-0.925, P<0.01).Vs was not correlated with age. Ve decreased gradually with age, and Va increased gradually with age. Ve/Va of tricuspid annular inverted at ~50 years of age but at ~60 years of age in mitral annulus. CONCLUSION: Diastolic function decreases gradually with age, and right ventricular diastolic function decreases earlier than left ventricular function. Systolic function appears not to be correlated with age.