Prognostic value of left ventricular volume response during dobutamine stress echocardiography

AIMS: An abnormal left ventricular volume response during dobutamineechocardiography identified patients with severe coronary arterydisease. The aim of the study was to assess the prognostic valueof left ventricular volume changes during dobutamine stressechocardiography in 136 patients. MEHTODS AND RESULTS: Endpoints were defined as spontaneous cardiac events at follow-up.Left ventricular end-diastolic and end-systolic volume changes(abnormal response: >10% and >20> decrease, respectively)were compared with other clinical and stress test variables.During 18±7 months of follow-up, 31 cardiac events occurred:12 hard events (cardiac death n=6 myocardial infarction n=6])and 19 soft events (unstable angina n=16] congestive heartfailure n=3] End-diastolic volume response (P=0·006),diabetes (P=0·008), inducible wall motion abnormalities(P=0·024), end-systolic volume response (P=0·039)and inducible angina (P=0·038) were related to a greaterlikelihood of cardiac events. The Cox regression analysis revealedend-diastolic volume response (odds ratio: 3·0; CI 1·44–6·32)and diabetes (odds ratio: 2·7; CI 1·28–5·69)to be independent predictors of spontaneous cardiac events.Diabetes (odds ratio: 4·0; CI 1·26–12·80)and >40% baseline ejection fraction (odds ratio: 2·21;CI 1·14–4·29) were independent predictorsof hard events. CONCLUSIONS: An abnormal end-diastolic volume response during dobutaminestress echocardiography identifies patients with an unfavourableoutcome; they should be considered for more accurate prognosticstratification.