title: Cardiac arrhythmias and left ventricular function in respiratory failure from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
abstract: In 22 patients with COPD, we studied the relationship between left ventricular function and cardiac arrhythmias. Ventricular arrhythmias were detected on a 24-h ECG recorded at the beginning of the observation period and after a stable improvement of RF. Left ventricular function was evaluated by equilibrium-gated radionuclide angiocardiography measuring LVEF, PER and PFR. We found a significant decrease in the arrhythmia score after improvement of RF; LVEF and PFR were slightly depressed in six and nine patients, respectively. A "step-up" multiple regression analysis revealed a significant inverse correlation between PFR and ventricular arrhythmias during worsened RF, whereas LVEF, arterial blood gases and clinical data were not significantly predictive variables. Thus, a depressed left ventricular diastolic performance seems to be a predictive factor for arrhythmias during RF from COPD. The poor definition of the statistical model suggests that other presently unknown factors contribute to the genesis of ventricular arrhythmias.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Clinica Medica, Universita Cattolica Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Incalzi
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pistelli
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fuso
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cocchi
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Bonetti
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Giordano
mesh_terms: D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000209:etiology*; D015716:Electrocardiography, Ambulatory; D015637:Gated Blood-Pool Imaging; D006801:Humans; D008173:Lung Diseases, Obstructive / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008955:Models, Cardiovascular; D015233:Models, Statistical; D009200:Myocardial Contraction / Q000502:physiology*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012131:Respiratory Insufficiency / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology