Table 3. Tissue velocity imaging parameters of the mitral annulus in the high-dose prednisolone group.

Tissue-doppler-mode		Median
		Day 0	Day 7	Day 28	Day 56	Day 84
IVS velocity
	Sm (cm/sec)	6.89 (4.34–8.44)	6.51 (5.45–10.18)	8.57* (5.25–10.46)	9.06* (7.28–10.14)	9.06* (7.52–10.27)
	Em (cm/sec)	6.12 (4.64–7.27)	5.72 (3.27–7.42)	5.15* (4.86–5.41)	4.62** (3.77–5.65)	4.92** (4.32–5.61)
	Am (cm/sec)	3.80 (2.97–5.99)	3.76 (1.76–5.63)	4.65 (3.65–6.42)	4.75 (3.53–5.27)	4.39 (2.71–5.99)
	Em/Am	1.46 (1.20–1.94)	1.72 (0.91–2.58)	1.11* (0.80–1.42)	0.98 (0.76–1.31)	1.17 (0.74–1.59)
	E/Em	6.37 (11.88–23.11)	7.86 (12.22–27.22)	10.88* (17.19–28.71)	12.54** (20.77–31.39)	10.92** (19.31–28.30)
LVFW velocity
	Sm (cm/sec)	7.29 (4.93–10.43)	9.13 (6.57–10.27)	10.20* (8.27–10.54)	10.07* (6.83–10.56)	10.05 (5.89–10.52)
	Em (cm/sec)	5.65 (4.36–9.52)	7.12 (4.05–9.15)	7.15 (6.00–9.06)	6.52 (3.23–8.24)	5.08 (2.51–7.32)
	Am (cm/sec)	3.81 (2.87–7.48)	4.70 (2.67–7.03)	5.17 (4.53–7.36)	4.75 (2.92–6.62)	5.11 (3.3–7.15)
	Em/Am	1.40 (0.94–2.15)	1.44 (1.30–2.06)	1.39 (0.95–2.00)	1.14 (0.87–2.74)	0.92 (0.66–1.61)
	E/Em	4.60 (8.97–20.30)	5.94 (10.65–23.87)	6.00* (10.92–22.29)	7.62** (14.26–38.70)	11.45* (14.80–47.54)

Am: peak velocities of left ventricular myocardium at late diastole; Day 0: Before initiation of medication; Day 7: 7 days after the initiation of medication; Day 28: 28 days after the initiation of medication; Day 56: 56 days after the initiation of medication; Day 84: 84 days after the initiation of medication; Em: peak velocities of left ventricular myocardium at early diastole; IVS: interventricular septal; LVFW, left ventricular free wall; Sm: peak velocities of left ventricular myocardium at systole. Data are expressed as medians (range). * and ** Indicate significant difference compared to Day 0 values at P<0.05 and P<0.01, respectively.