Restrictive left ventricular filling pattern in dilated cardiomyopathy assessed by doppler echocardiography: Clinical, echocardiographic and hemodynamic correlations and prognostic implications

AbstractObjectives. This study was undertaken to evaluate the frequency of restrictive left ventricular filling pattern in dilated cardiomyopathy, as well as its clinical and hemodynamic correlations and prognostic implications.Background. In dilated cardiomyopathy, as in other heart disease different left ventricular filling patterns were observed on Doppler echocardiography. Some patients showed a “restrictive filling pattern,” similar to that associated with restrictive cardiomyopathy, characterized by predominant E waves and a shortened E deceleration time.Methods. Pulsed Doppler transmitral curves were analyzed in 79 consecutive patients with dilated cardiomyopathy assigned to two study groups according to E deceleration time group 1 (n = 36) had a restrictive left ventricular filling pattern (E deceleration time