Association between left ventricular diastolic function and right ventricular function and morphology in asymptomatic aortic stenosis

Background Aortic stenosis (AS) is a progressive disease in which left ventricular (LV) diastolic dysfunction is common. However, the association between diastolic dysfunction and right ventricular (RV) loading conditions and function has not been investigated in asymptomatic AS patients. Methods and findings A total of 41 patients underwent right heart catheterization and simultaneous echocardiography at rest and during maximal supine exercise, stratified according to resting diastolic function. Cardiac chamber size and morphology was assessed using cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (cMRI). RV stroke work index, pulmonary artery (PA) compliance, PA elastance, PA pulsatility index, and right atrial pressure (RAP) were calculated at rest and maximal exercise. Ten patients (24%) had normal LV filling pattern, 20 patients (49%) had grade 1, and 11 patients (27%) had grade 2 diastolic dysfunction. Compared to patients with normal diastolic filling pattern, patients with diastolic dysfunction had lower RV end-diastolic volume (66 ± 11 ml/m² vs. 79 ± 15 ml/m², p = 0.02) and end-systolic volume (25 ± 7 ml/m² vs. 32 ± 9 ml/m², p = 0.04). An increase in mean RAP to 15 mmHg following exercise was not seen in patients with normal LV filling, compared to 4 patients (20%) with mild and 7 patients (63%) with moderate diastolic dysfunction (p = 0.003). PA pressure and PA elastance was increased in grade 2 diastolic dysfunction and correlated with RV volume and maximal oxygen consumption (r = -0.71, p < 0.001). Conclusions Moderate diastolic dysfunction is associated with increased RV afterload (elastance), which is compensated at rest, but is associated with increased RAP and inversely related to maximal oxygen consumption during maximal exercise.