Method: 41 patients with HF and PLVF and 22 age and sex matched controls underwent standard protocol DSE in colour tissue Doppler mode after a 6-minute walk (6mw). 3 apical views at rest and peak stress, were analysed off-line. Mitral E and A velocities were measures. Systolic mitral annular velocity(Sm)(cm/s) and Em (cm/s) were measured at 6 positions around the mitral annulus and averaged. Paired and unpaired t-test was used to compare means. Pearson correlation was used to test the

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... ce of relation between continuous variables. A two-tailed p value <0.05 was considered significant. Result: 6mw distance was higher in controls (402.4±87.6m v 321.5 ±104.7m in PLVF group, p<0.001 ). With stress, Sm increased (4.99±1.44 at rest v 7.97±1.94 at stress, p=0.000), Em velocity decreased (4.62±1.72 at rest v 3.84±1.65 at stress, p=0.040) and E/Em ratio increased (18.72±7.16 at rest v 23.80±11.47 at stress, p=0.019) in the PLVF group. Change in Em with stress correlated negatively with E/Em (r=-0.44, p<0.01)in this group. The 6mw distance correlated positively with Em and negatively with E/Em at peak stress only in PLVF group (figure). E ~ 100 J. I~ = 04735 t=-0 6881.p<0 ~1 Em l( pet~ EfEm ratio at peak