title: Right ventricular ejection fraction measured by multigated planar equilibrium radionuclide ventriculography is an independent prognostic factor in patients with ischemic heart disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The number of studies on the prognostic value of the right ventricular ejection fraction (RVEF) in patients with ischemic heart disease (IHD) is limited, whereas it is widely accepted that the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) is a strong prognostic factor. We assessed whether RVEF measured by multigated planar equilibrium radionuclide ventriculography (RNV) is an independent prognostic factor in patients with IHD.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We retrospectively identified 347 consecutive patients with IHD (mean age 71 ± 11 years; 18% women) who underwent multigated planar equilibrium RNV between 2004 and 2008 to determine the LVEF, which also provided the RVEF (mean 44.7% ± 11.0%). We categorized patients according to RVEF in ≥40% (n = 240) and <40% (n = 107). Patients were followed for a median of 826 days (range 3-2,400) for the occurrence of events [all-cause mortality (n = 60), cardiac mortality (n = 33), and cardiac hospitalization (n = 78)]. Cox regression analysis with significant univariate predictors [coronary artery revascularization (P = .003), diuretics (P = .03), and statins (P < .001)] showed that an RVEF <40% was associated with a 2.90 (1.68-5.00)-fold higher risk of all-cause death. Accordingly, a decreased RVEF was associated with a 2.15 (1.34-3.43)-fold increase in the risk of cardiac hospitalization and a 5.11(2.32-11.23)-fold risk of cardiac death.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  RVEF measured by multigated planar equilibrium RNV is an independent prognostic factor in patients with chronic IHD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Gelre Hospital, Apeldoorn, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: van der Maas
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Braam
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: van der Zaag-Loonen
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Meerman
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cozijnsen
authors.forename: A J H A
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Scholte
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000465:Algorithms; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015637:Gated Blood-Pool Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016278:Ventricular Function, Right