title: Paucity of anginal symptoms and stress-induced perfusion abnormalities in ischemic cardiomyopathy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We sought to investigate whether the paucity of anginal symptoms in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy reflects a reduction in the severity of stress-induced myocardial ischemia.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We selected 38 patients with coronary artery disease and severe left ventricular dysfunction (ejection fraction [EF] <or=25%) (group 1), who underwent stress gated single photon emission computed tomography. In parallel, we selected 2 groups of 38 patients with coronary artery disease and EF between 26% and 45% (group 2) or EF greater than 45% (group 3), matched to group 1 patients. Effort angina was less frequent in group 1 (29%) than in group 2 (50%) and group 3 (82%) (P = .023). Stress-induced perfusion abnormalities, identified by the summed difference score (SDS), were less extensive in group 1 (mean SDS, 3 +/- 3) than in group 2 (mean SDS, 6 +/- 5) and group 3 (mean SDS, 8 +/- 4) (P = .019), whereas perfusion abnormalities at rest (summed rest score [SRS]) were more extensive in group 1 (mean SRS, 12 +/- 4) than in group 2 (mean SRS, 6 +/- 3) and group 3 (mean SRS, 3 +/- 2) (P = .015).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The paucity of anginal symptoms in ischemic cardiomyopathy reflects a limited extent of stress-induced myocardial ischemia and a higher extent of necrosis.
authors.affiliation: CNR, Institute of Clinical Physiology, Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gimelli
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Marzullo
authors.forename: Patrizia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Landi
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: L'Abbate
authors.forename: Matteo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bottai
authors.forename: Daniele
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rovai