Left ventricular systolic ejection time is an independent predictor of all‐cause mortality in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction

• Published in: European journal of heart failure Vol. 23; no. 2; pp. 240 - 249
• Main Authors: Alhakak, Alia S., Sengeløv, Morten, Jørgensen, Peter G., Bruun, Niels E., Johnsen, Cecilie, Abildgaard, Ulrik, Iversen, Allan Z., Hansen, Thomas F., Teerlink, John R., Malik, Fady I., Solomon, Scott D., Gislason, Gunnar, Biering‐Sørensen, Tor
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK John Wiley & Sons, Ltd 01.02.2021
• Subjects: Cardiac time intervals; Heart failure; Mortality; Tissue Doppler echocardiography; Heart failure; Cardiac time intervals; Mortality; Tissue Doppler echocardiography
• ISSN: 1388-9842; 1879-0844
• DOI: 10.1002/ejhf.2022

Aims Colour tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) M‐mode through the mitral leaflet is an easy and precise method to obtain cardiac time intervals including isovolumic contraction time (IVCT), isovolumic relaxation time (IVRT) and systolic ejection time (SET). The myocardial performance index (MPI) is defined as [(IVCT + IVRT)/SET]. Whether cardiac time intervals obtained by the TDI M‐mode method can be used to predict outcome in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) remains unknown. Methods and results A total of 997 patients with HFrEF (mean age 67 ± 11 years, 74% male) underwent an echocardiographic examination including TDI. During a median follow‐up of 3.4 years (interquartile range 1.9–4.8 years), 165 (17%) patients died. The risk of mortality increased by 9% per 10 ms decrease in SET [per 10 ms decrease: hazard ratio (HR) 1.09, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.06–1.13; P < 0.001]. The association remained significant even after multivariable adjustment for clinical and echocardiographic parameters (per 10 ms decrease: HR 1.06, 95% CI 1.01–1.11; P = 0.030). The MPI was a significant predictor in an unadjusted model (per 0.1 increase: HR 3.06, 95% CI 1.16–8.06; P = 0.023). However, the association did not remain significant after multivariable adjustment. No significant associations between IVCT or IVRT and mortality were found in unadjusted nor adjusted models. Additionally, SET provided incremental prognostic information with regard to predicting mortality when added to established clinical predictors of mortality in patients with HFrEF. Conclusion In patients with HFrEF, SET provides independent and incremental prognostic information regarding all‐cause mortality. Systolic ejection time (SET) predicts mortality in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). CI, confidence interval; HR, hazard ratio; TDI, tissue Doppler imaging.