| Normal controls(n = 10) | AR normal BNP* | AR elevated BNP | p Value (normal controls vs AR normal BNP) | p Value (AR normal BNP vs AR elevated BNP) | |
| BNP <12 pmol/l(n = 28) | BNP >12 pmol/l(n = 11) | ||||
| Age in years (median (range)) | 42 (24–63) | 41 (18–68) | 47 (20–71) | 0.95 | 0.6 |
| Diastolic BP (mm Hg) | 71 (6) | 62 (10) | 48 (12) | 0.03 | 0.007 |
| Natriuretic peptide | |||||
| B-type natriuretic peptide (pmol/l)* | 9.6 (7.9–10.5) | 8.1 (6.1–10.3) | 18.4 (17.1–38.5) | 0.13 | <0.001 |
| Symptoms | |||||
| NYHA class >1 | 0 (0%) | 3 (11%) | 4 (36%) | 0.55 | 0.06 |
| Echocardiography | |||||
| Severe regurgitation (AR jet/LVOT width >0.65) | 4 (14%) | 6 (55%) | 0.02 | ||
| AR jet to LVOT width ratio | 0.5 (0.13) | 0.62 (0.16) | 0.03 | ||
| Descending aorta peak velocity in diastole (m/sec) | 0.55 (0.15) | 0.74 (0.26) | 0.02 | ||
| Descending aorta end-diastolic velocity (m/sec) | 0.22 (0.1) | 0.3 (0.15) | 0.04 | ||
| LA area index (cm2/m2) | 9.8 (2.1) | 10.4 (1.7) | 11.9 (2.3) | 0.35 | 0.02 |
| Estimated PAP (mm Hg) | 25 (4) | 27 (6) | 32 (6) | 0.49 | 0.03 |
| LV function (rest) | |||||
| LVEDVI (mls/m2) | 51.3 (13.5) | 88.7 (27.8) | 97.6 (30.5) | <0.001 | 0.29 |
| LVESVI (mls/m2) | 17.1 (7.1) | 32.4 (13.2) | 37.6 (16.2) | 0.001 | 0.35 |
| LV ejection fraction (%) | 68 (7) | 64 (6) | 63 (6) | 0.43 | 0.62 |
| LV end-diastolic dimension (cm) | 4.7 (0.5) | 5.9 (0.7) | 5.9 (0.7) | <0.001 | 0.96 |
| LV end-systolic dimension (cm) | 3.1 (0.7) | 4 (0.5) | 4.3 (0.9) | 0.001 | 0.56 |
| LV mass index (g/m2) | 89 (21) | 175 (43) | 201 (38) | <0.001 | 0.08 |
| S′ mitral annulus (cm/sec) | 11.6 (2.3) | 8.1 (2.1) | 8.1 (1.8) | 0.002 | 0.65 |
| Longitudinal strain rate (1/sec) | −1.19 (0.20) | −0.99 (0.13) | −1.07 (0.18) | 0.007 | 0.42 |
| E′ mitral annulus (cm/sec) | 9.7 (1.5) | 8.3 (1.2) | 8.5 (1.3) | 0.001 | 0.69 |
| E/E′ mitral annulus | 6.9 (1.7) | 9.7 (2.6) | 9.4 (2.3) | 0.005 | 0.82 |
| LV systolic torsion (°) | 12.7 (2.7) | 11.2 (4.2) | 10.7 (3.7) | 0.19 | 0.95 |
| Treadmill exercise | |||||
| METS achieved | 14.6 (2.1) | 11 (3.3) | 10.7 (4) | 0.01 | 0.78 |
| Peak systolic BP (mm Hg) | 159 (11) | 187 (24) | 191 (25) | 0.002 | 0.66 |
| Peak HR (beats/min) | 173 (10) | 159 (17) | 148 (18) | 0.01 | 0.11 |
| LV function (exercise) | |||||
| LVEDVI (mls/m2) | 37.8 (12.6) | 57.8 (18.3) | 76.6 (30.5) | <0.001 | 0.05† |
| % change in LVEDVI | −26 (18) | −34 (13) | −22 (14) | 0.16 | 0.05† |
| LVESVI (mls/m2) | 7.3 (4.2) | 17.4 (8.4) | 28.8 (19.6) | 0.001 | 0.09† |
| % change in LVESVI | −58 (17) | −46 (17) | −26 (29) | 0.08 | 0.03† |
| LVEF (%) | 82 (7) | 71 (8) | 66 (11) | 0.002 | 0.25 |
| Change in EF (%) | 14 (6) | 6 (7) | 2 (11) | 0.008 | 0.18 |
| S′ mitral annulus (cm/sec) | 22 (4) | 15 (4) | 13 (4) | <0.001 | 0.30 |
| Change in S′ septum (cm/sec) | 11 (4) | 7 (4) | 5 (4) | 0.03 | 0.24 |
| Longitudinal strain rate (1/sec) | −2.67 (0.55) | −2.05 (0.43) | −1.75 (0.31) | 0.006 | 0.05 |
| Change in longitudinal strain rate (1/sec) | 1.48 (0.45) | 1.06 (0.45) | 0.68 (0.31) | 0.03 | 0.02 |
Data are presented for AR patients with a plasma level of BNP within and above the normal reference range (12 pmol/l).
p Values by Mann–Whitney U test.
*Results are expressed as mean (standard deviation) except for B-type natriuretic peptide (median (interquartile range)).
†There was a statistically significant association (p<0.05) between age and both LV end-systolic volume index (LVESVI) and LV end-diastolic volume index (LVEDVI). After adjustment for age p was <0.01 for post exercise LVESVI, % change in LVESVI, LVEDVI, and % change in LVEDVI. All other results were similar with and without adjustment for age.