Abstract

Rate-corrected left ventricular ejection time was measured from the aortic pressure tracings of 171 catheterised patients with aortic valve area less than or equal to 1.2 cm2. In 50 patients with pure aortic stenosis, left ventricular ejection time in increased with decreasing valve area and was significantly higher (468 +/- 5 ms, mean +/- SEM) than in 13 normal subjects (435 +/- 5 ms). Additional aortic regurgitation in 72 patients further increased the left ventricular ejection time to 484 +/- 4 ms. Significant mitral stenosis (mitral valve are less than or equal to 1.2 cm2) in 6 patients with aortic stenosis and 33 patients with aortic stenosis and regurgitation reduced the left ventricular ejection time to normal. Similarly, severe mitral regurgitation in 3 patients with aortic stenosis and regurgitation reduced left ventricular ejection time to normal, though slight or moderate mitral regurgitation in 4 of these patients did not. These data show that the prolonged left ventricular ejection time in aortic valve disease may be restored to normal in the presence of coexisting significant mitral disease.