Table 2

Resting and peak-exercise echocardiographic data according to tertiles of peak-exercise BNP level

Whole cohort n=211Tertile 1 (6–42 pg/mL) n=71Tertile 2 (43–91 pg/mL) n=70Tertile 3 (92–956 pg/mL) n=70p Value†
Resting echocardiographic data
 Stroke volume, mL84±1986±2086±1979±190.05
 Stroke volume index, mL/m246±1148±1147±1144±110.13
 Peak aortic jet velocity, m/s4.0±0.73.7±0.74.1±0.7*4.1±0.8*0.001
 Peak transvalvular gradient, mm Hg66±2459±2169±23*71±25*0.006
 Mean transvalvular gradient, mm Hg41±1537±1343±15*43±16*0.02
 Aortic valve area, cm20.93±0.210.98±0.190.90±0.20*0.90±0.24*0.03
 Indexed aortic valve area, cm2/m20.51±0.120.54±0.110.49±0.10*0.50±0.13*0.03
 Indexed left atrial area, cm2/m211.6±3.311.0±3.010.9±3.112.8±3.4*‡0.0007
 E to e′10.8±4.29.9±3.911.2±3.811.4±4.80.15
 Pulmonary hypertension, %3%1%1%7%0.09
 Relative wall thickness0.51±0.120.48±0110.51±0.090.54±0.15*0.04
 LV mass index, g/m2124±45123±47126±47123±410.88
 LVEF, %66±767±866±666±80.66
 Valvulo-arterial imp., mm Hg/mL m24.1±1.13.9±0.84.0±1.04.5±1.3*‡0.003
Peak-exercise-stress echocardiographic data
 Stroke volume, mL94±2991±2794±3297±300.49
 Stroke volume index, mL/m249±1647±1549±1750±160.49
 Peak aortic jet velocity, m/s4.6±0.84.3±0.74.7±0.7*4.7±0.8*0.01
 Peak transvalvular gradient, mm Hg86±2878±2789±26*90±30*0.02
 Mean transvalvular gradient, mm Hg53±1948±1656±18*56±21*0.01
 Aortic valve area, cm21.01±0.291.09±0.260.97±0.29*0.98±0.300.03
 Indexed aortic valve area, cm2/m20.56±0.160.60±0.150.53±0.16*0.55±0.170.03
 Pulmonary hypertension, %32%23%34%39%0.10
 LVEF, %68±968±1069±867±90.42
 Valvulo-arterial imp., mm Hg/mL m25.1±1.95.2±1.85.2±1.95.0±1.90.82
  • Values are mean±SD.

  • †p Value of the one-way ANOVA. The following symbols indicate the significance of the Tukey's post hoc test: *p<0.05 from ‘Tertile 1’; ‡p<0.05 from ‘Tertile 2’.

  • BNP, B-type natriuretic peptide.