Prognostic implications of Tc-99m sestamibi viability imaging and subsequent therapeutic strategy in patients with chronic coronary artery disease and left ventricular dysfunction.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of the study was to verify the prognostic implications of viability detection using baseline-nitrate sestamibi imaging in patients with left ventricular (LV) dysfunction due to chronic coronary artery disease (CAD) submitted to different therapeutic strategies.


BACKGROUND
The prognostic meaning of preserved viability in these patients is still debated. Sestamibi is increasingly used for myocardial perfusion scintigraphy and is being accepted also as viability tracer, but no data are available about the relationship between viability in sestamibi imaging, subsequent treatment, and patient's outcome.


METHODS
Follow-up data were collected in 105 CAD patients with LV dysfunction who had undergone baseline-nitrate sestamibi perfusion imaging for viability assessment and had been later treated medically (group 1), or submitted to revascularization, which was either complete (group 2A) or incomplete (group 2B).


RESULTS
Eighteen hard events (cardiac death or nonfatal myocardial infarction) were registered during the follow-up. A significantly worse event-free survival curve was observed in the patients of group 1 (p < 0.0002) and group 2B (p < 0.03) compared to those of group 2A. Using a Cox proportional hazard model, the most powerful prognostic predictors of events were the number of nonrevascularized asynergic segments with viability in sestamibi imaging (p < 0.003, risk ratio [RR] = 1.4), and the severity of CAD (p < 0.02, RR = 1.28).


CONCLUSIONS
Viability detection in sestamibi imaging has important prognostic implications in CAD patients with LV dysfunction. Patients with preserved viability kept on medical therapy or submitted to incomplete revascularization represent high-risk groups.
Sciagrà
R
R
Department of Clinical Physiopathology, University of Florence, Italy. r.sciagra@dfc.unifi.it
Pellegri
M
M
Pupi
A
A
Bolognese
L
L
Bisi
G
G
Carnovale
V
V
Santoro
G M
GM
D000368:Aged; D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary; D002317:Cardiovascular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009204:Myocardial Revascularization; D009566:Nitrates; D011379:Prognosis; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D017256:Technetium Tc 99m Sestamibi; D014022:Tissue Survival; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology*
D002317:Cardiovascular Agents; D009566:Nitrates; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D017256:Technetium Tc 99m Sestamibi