title: Prediction of left ventricular ejection fraction using simple quantitative clinical information.
abstract: The left ventricular ejection fraction is useful in characterizing cardiac performance and evaluating prognosis in patients with known or suspected cardiac disease. The purpose of this study was to determine if simple, quantitative clinical information generated as part of a routine patient evaluation could be used to predict ejection fraction determined by radionuclide ventriculography. Multiple regression analysis was used to study a group of 64 patients selected to represent the full range of ejection fraction values. All patients had undergone cardiac catheterization and standard chest radiography in addition to resting and exercise radionuclide ventriculography. Using easily determined clinical variables, a regression formula was developed that predicted the radionuclide ventriculographic ejection fraction (r = 0.73). Plain film heart volume, heart rate, pulse pressure, and thoracic width were highly significant terms in the optimal regression equation. For validation, the formula was applied to a second, independent verification data set composed of 41 cases and revealed similar correlation (r = 0.78). A radionuclide ventriculographic ejection fraction below 40 was identified in the verification data set with a sensitivity of 87 percent and specificity of 83 percent. Use of this method, requiring only direct heart rate, blood pressure, and chest radiographic measurements and simple calculations, may assist physicians in patient management and facilitate the optimal use of more invasive and expensive studies.
mesh_terms: D001794:Blood Pressure; D005260:Female; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006339:Heart Rate; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D012044:Regression Analysis; D013318:Stroke Volume