Influence of acute preload changes on mitral annulus velocity measured by tissue Doppler echocardiography in critically ill patients.

Aim: The assessment of diastolic function remains difficult in critical care patients because of unstable preload conditions. Described as fairly insensitive to preload changes, tissue Doppler velocity measurement at the lateral mitral annulus (e' (lat) ) may help evaluate diastolic function. Our aim was to prospectively evaluate e' (lat) changes in relation to fluid expansion in critically ill patients.