Predischarge low-dose dobutamine test and prediction of left ventricular function at 1 year in patients with a first anterior myocardial infarction.
BACKGROUND
It is unclear whether spontaneous improvement in contractility following acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is related to severity of predischarge systolic dysfunction and can be predicted by isotopic ventriculography with a low-dose dobutamine test (DBT).


OBJECTIVE
Spontaneous improvement in contractility would be similar in patients with more preserved and those with depressed ventricular function, and a DBT test could predict it.


METHODS
Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), regional contractility score (RCS), and left ventricular end-diastolic volume index (EDVI) at predischarge, during DBT, and at 1 year were analyzed in 43 patients with a first anterior ST-elevation AMI.


RESULTS
Changes produced by DBT in patients with LVEF < 40%, RCS > or = 3, or EDVI > or = 70 ml/m2 were smaller than in those observed at 1 year (LVEF: 30 +/- 5-35 +/- 7%, p < 0.001, vs. 39 +/- 10%, p = 0.005; RCS: 4.9 +/- 1.4-4.6 +/- 2.0, NS, vs. 3.4 +/- 2.0, p < 0.02; EDVI: 92 +/- 14-86 +/- 22, NS, vs. 78 +/- 23 ml/m2, p < 0.03). In contrast, in patients with EF > or = 40%, RCS < 3 or EDVI < 70 ml/m2, changes with DBT tended to be greater than those observed at 1 year (LVEF: 52 +/- 8-57 +/- 11%, p < 0.004 vs. 55 +/- 11%, p < 0.04); RCS: 1.1 +/- 0.9-0.8 +/- 0.8, NS, vs. 1.1 +/- 1.1, NS; and EDVI: 51 +/- 9-47 +/- 11, p < 0.005, vs. 54 +/- 13 ml/m2, NS).


CONCLUSIONS
Among patients with a first anterior AMI, spontaneous improvement in contractility at 1 year was greatest in those with a more depressed ventricular function or a dilated ventricle, but its magnitude was underestimated by a predischarge DBT test.
Figueras
Jaume
J
Unitat Coronària, Servei de Cardiologia, Hospital General Vall d'Hebron, P. Vall d'Hebron 119-129, 08035 Barcelona, Spain. 5751jfb@comb.es
Cortadellas
Josefa
J
Missorici
Mario
M
Castell
Joan
J
Soler
Jordi Soler
JS
D002316:Cardiotonic Agents; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003971:Diastole; D004280:Dobutamine; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D005544:Forecasting; D006334:Heart Function Tests; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009200:Myocardial Contraction / Q000502:physiology*; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000503:physiopathology*; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D013318:Stroke Volume / Q000502:physiology*; D017256:Technetium Tc 99m Sestamibi; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon
D002316:Cardiotonic Agents; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D004280:Dobutamine; D017256:Technetium Tc 99m Sestamibi