title: The importance of left ventricular function for long-term outcome after primary percutaneous coronary intervention.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In the present study we sought to determine the long-term prognostic value of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), assessed by planar radionuclide ventriculography (PRV), after ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI).
  
  
  METHODS
  In total 925 patients underwent PRV for LVEF assessment after PPCI for myocardial infarction before discharge from the hospital. PRV was performed with a standard dose of 500 Mbq of 99mTc-pertechnetate. Average follow-up time was 2.5 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean (+/- SD) age was 60 +/- 12 years. Mean (+/- SD) LVEF was 45.7 +/- 12.2 %. 1 year survival was 97.3 % and 3 year survival was 94.2 %. Killip class, multi vessel-disease, previous cardiovascular events, peak creatin kinase and its MB fraction, age and LVEF proved to be univariate predictors of mortality. When entered in a forward conditional Cox regression model age and LVEF were independent predictors of 1 and 3 year mortality.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  LVEF assessed by PRV is a powerful independent predictor of long term mortality after PPCI for STEMI.
authors.affiliation: Thoraxcentre, Department of Cardiology, University Medical Centre Groningen, The Netherlands. p.a.van.der.vleuten@thorax.umcg.nl
authors.forename: Pieter A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: van der Vleuten
authors.forename: Saman
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rasoul
authors.forename: Willem
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Huurnink
authors.forename: Iwan Cc
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: van der Horst
authors.forename: Riemer Hja
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Slart
authors.forename: Stoffer
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Reiffers
authors.forename: Rudi A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Dierckx
authors.forename: René A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Tio
authors.forename: Jan Paul
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Ottervanger
authors.forename: Menko-Jan
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: De Boer
authors.forename: Felix
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zijlstra
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D011379:Prognosis; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D015635:Radionuclide Ventriculography; D012042:Registries; D012307:Risk Factors; D013318:Stroke Volume; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left