Abstract

Whether increased severity of heart failure in African Americans is a result of differences in cardiac physiology is uncertain. The end-diastolic pulmonary regurgitation (EDPR) gradient is associated with abnormal cardiac physiology. We hypothesized that African American race is associated with an elevated EDPR gradient that may partially predispose African Americans to heart failure.The Heart and Soul Study prospectively assessed the EDPR gradient in 480 patients with coronary disease. We used multivariable linear regression to investigate the independent association of African American race with EDPR gradient.Compared with 393 non-African Americans, the 87 African Americans had similar indices of left ventricular systolic and diastolic function, left ventricular mass index, mitral regurgitation, peak tricuspid regurgitation gradient, and pulmonary velocity time integral. However, the EDPR gradient was significantly higher in African Americans (4.2 +/- 3.3 mm Hg) than in Caucasians (3.1 +/- 2.5 mm Hg) or other racial groups (3.5 +/- 2.7 mm Hg) (P = .008). In a multivariable model, African American race was a significant predictor of elevated EDPR gradient (beta coefficient 0.75, P = .03).African American race is independently associated with an elevated EDPR gradient in patients with coronary artery disease.

View details for DOI 10.1016/j.ccho.2007.03.011

View details for Web of Science ID 000251062300012

View details for PubMedID 17588717

View details for PubMedCentralID PMC2776673