Vena caval flow patterns in patients with constrictive pericarditis: Analysis by catheter-tip Doppler flowmetry

Changes in superior and inferior vena caval flow patterns were analyzed in 5 patients with constrictive pericarditis and were compared with those of 10 normal control subjects. Caval flows were measured using catheter-tip Doppler flowmeters. The normal controls showed biphasic M-shaped flow patterns; the peaks of the first forward flow (S wave) and of the second forward flow (D wave) appeared coincident with mid-systole and mid-diastole, respectively. Reverse flows fell during the atrial contraction period (A wave) and late systole (V wave). In the normal controls, the ratios of the S wave to the D wave (S/D ratio) and the A wave to the S wave (A/S ratio) were 2.15 ± 0.41 and 0.18 ± 0.10, respectively, and there was a disproportionate respiratory variation in the S and D waves in the normal controls. In constrictive pericarditis, superior and inferior vena caval flow velocities were lower than those in the normal controls. The S/D and A/S ratios were 1.46 ± 0.27 (p < 0.05 vs control) and 0.66 ± 0.15 (p < 0.01 vs control), respectively, with the A wave increasing in proportion to the severity of constrictive pericarditis. In addition, there was only a minimal respiratory variation in constrictive pericarditis. In conclusion, recognition of the patterns of the superior and inferior vena caval flow velocities may be useful for diagnosing constrictivc pericarditis.