Aims: We studied the effects of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) on global and regional myocardial oxygen consumption (MVO2) and myocardial blood flow (MBF) in non-ischaemic (NICM) and ischaemic dilated cardiomyopathy (ICM).
Methods and results: Thirty-one NICM and 11 ICM patients, all of them acute responders, were investigated. MVO2 and MBF were obtained by 11C-acetate PET before and after 4 months of CRT. In NICM global MVO2 and MBF did not change during CRT, while the rate pressure product (RPP) normalized MVO2 increased (P=0.03). Before CRT regional MVO2 and MBF were highest in the lateral wall and lowest in the septum. Under therapy, MVO2 and MBF decreased in the lateral wall (P=0.045) and increased in the septum (P=0.045) resulting in a more uniform distribution. In ICM, global MVO2, MBF, and RPP did not change under CRT. Regional MVO2 and MBF showed no significant changes but a similar tendency in the lateral and septal wall to that in NICM.
Conclusion: CRT induces changes of MVO2 and MBF on a regional level with a more uniform distribution between the myocardial walls and improved ventricular efficiency in NICM. Based on the investigated parameters, CRT appears to be more effective in NICM than in ICM.