Dobutamine stress echocardiography for assessing the role of dynamic intraventricular obstruction in left ventricular ballooning syndrome.
BACKGROUND
Dynamic intraventricular obstruction has been observed in patients with left ventricular ballooning syndrome (LVBS) and has been hypothesized as a possible mechanism of the syndrome. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence and significance of dynamic intraventricular obstruction in patients with LVBS.


RESULTS
Dobutamine stress echocardiography was carried out in 22 patients with LVBS (82% apical), all women, aged 68 +/- 9 years. At baseline 1 patient had a > 30 mmHg LV gradient; during stress a LV gradient > 30 mm Hg developed in 6/21 patients (28%) and was caused by systolic anterior motion of the mitral valve in the 3 patients with severe gradient (mean 116 +/- 29 mmHg), who developed mitral regurgitation and impaired apical wall motion and by obstruction at mid-ventricular level in the other 3 with a moderate gradient (mean 46 +/- 16 mmHg). Compared with patients without obstruction those with obstruction had a greater mean septal thickness (11.6 +/- .6 vs 9.8. +/- 3, p < .01), a higher prevalence of septal hypertrophy (71% vs 7%, p < .005) and a higher peak wall motion score index (1.62 +/- .4 vs 1.08 +/- .4, p < .01).


CONCLUSIONS
Spontaneous or dobutamine-induced dynamic LV obstruction is documented in 32% of patients with LVBS, is correlated with the presence of septal hypertrophy and may play a role in the development of LVBS in this subset of patients. In those without septal hypertrophy a dynamic obstruction is rarely induced with dobutamine and is unlikely to be a major pathogenetic factor of the syndrome.
Previtali
Mario
M
Department of Cardiology, IRCCS Fondazione Policlinico San Matteo, University of Pavia School of Medicine, Pavia, Italy. marprevi@hotmail.com
Camporotondo
Rita
R
Repetto
Alessandra
A
Panigada
Stefania
S
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002316:Cardiotonic Agents; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D004280:Dobutamine; D025401:Echocardiography, Stress; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D008944:Mitral Valve Insufficiency / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D054549:Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology; D014694:Ventricular Outflow Obstruction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology
D002316:Cardiotonic Agents; D004280:Dobutamine