Effect of acute changes in load on left ventricular diastolic function during device closure of atrial septal defects.

Echocardiographic indexes of left ventricular (LV) diastolic function were assessed in 18 patients before and after device closure of secundum atrial septal defects. The tissue Doppler early diastolic peak annular velocity (Ea) and color M-mode velocity of propagation (Vp), indexes of relaxation, seemed to be load independent and were not affected by the change in LV filling hemodynamics, whereas the mitral inflow peak E-wave velocity and E/Ea ratio were more load dependent, with a resultant increase after the closure of large atrial shunts.