To:
Members of the ASE Executive Committee,
Members of ASE guidelines and standards committee,
Cc:kleina@ccf.org,Nagueh Sherif M.D
As the third version of the ASE diastolic function guideline is approaching publication, I respectfully urge the committee to give serious consideration to the inclusion of Tau, the gold standard index of left ventricular diastolic function.
In the previous two versions of the guideline, Tau was only briefly mentioned—and unfortunately, only in reference to a problematic and mathematically flawed formula originating from Harvard. That formula has been challenged for its internal inconsistency, as pointed out in PMC6558577, yet it continues to be cited. The absence of a practical, validated Tau method in the guideline leaves a major gap in our diagnostic framework and undermines our commitment to scientific rigor.
Over the past two decades, I have independently derived
simplified Tau formulas for both mitral regurgitation (MR) and aortic
insufficiency (AI) patients, using pure mathematical methods rooted in pressure
decay theory. These formulas have been successfully validated by independent
researchers in China, including teams from the PLA General Hospital. Most
notably, Mindray—China’s largest medical equipment manufacturer—launched the
world’s first Echo machine capable of measuring Tau non-invasively in 2017, based
on this work.
While Tau has been commercialized and clinically applied in
China, it remains absent from daily practice in the United States, primarily
due to the lack of a pragmatic, validated method. This has created an
unnecessary East-West divide in diastolic function assessment. Science should
transcend borders. Despite current geopolitical tensions, I believe true
scientists on both sides can and should find common ground in the pursuit of
medical advancement.
I respectfully request that the committee take this
opportunity to reevaluate Tau’s role in diastology. Including a section on Tau,
with up-to-date and validated methods, would significantly strengthen the
credibility and completeness of the upcoming guideline.
I would be honored to share further data or references upon
request.
Sincerely,
Xufang Bai, Chinese MD, PhD
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