Increased mortality in patients with conflicting diastolic parameters

The aim of this study was to describe the clinical characteristics and mortality of patients with conflicting diastolic function during follow-up. Up to 30% of patients have conflicting diastolic function by echo Doppler and therefore cannot be classified into a distinct diastolic dysfunction category of stage 1, 2 or 3. Using our established echocardiography data base, we studied a cohort of 250 subjects with conflicting diastolic function. Each individual was compared to two controls with normal diastolic and systolic function. The pre-specified goal of the analysis was a 6-year follow-up. Patients with conflicting diastolic function were more likely to have diabetes, hypertension, and established coronary artery disease. The Cox proportional hazards model determined that the risk of death was significantly higher for conflicting patients compared to patients with normal diastolic parameters (HR: 1.83; 95% CI: 1.32–2.53), P < 0.001. After adjustment for covariates, the risk of death remained elevated for the conflicting group (HR: 1.56; 95% CI: 1.11–2.18), P = 0.009. Conflicting diastolic dysfunction is associated with an increased risk of death compared to individuals with normal function. In conclusion, this emphasizes the need to attain a more precise characterization and categorization for patients with diastolic dysfunction.