The clinical value of mitral A-wave deceleration time in the prediction of a long-term adverse outcome in patients with myocardial infarction.

Introduction: Mitral A-wave deceleration time (Adt) is a promising Doppler parameter for the evaluation of left ventricular (LV) diastolic function. The aim of the present study was to investigate the long-term prognostic value of Adt in relation to the development of heart failure and cardiac death in the setting of the first acute myocardial infarction (MI).

Methods: Conventional Doppler echocardiographic study and Adt measurements were performed in 105 patients (age 60 +/- 10 years, 77 men) 8.