Background: The aim of this study was to assess the utility of ejection fraction at rest (rEF) and its change during stress (delta EF) as a predictor of cardiac events during the follow-up of patients (pts) with myocardial infarction.
Methods: 74 pts (44 treated with thrombolytic therapy (TR), and 30 not (noTR)), were studied with 99mTcPYP angiography within 2 +/- 1 months, after AMI. By 20 +/- 10 months, 41 pts had no events (Group A) while 33 pts experienced cardiac events (3 deaths, 16 angina, 12 CABG, and 2 PTCA).
Results: rEF was similar in both Groups A and B (A 47 +/- 8 vs B 45 +/- 10 p. ns), 44 +/- 15 vs B-noTR 46 +/- 12 p. ns). delta EF was different between Groups A and B. Group A showed a positive delta EF (3.2 +/- 6), and this result was more evident in thrombolyzed AMI (A-TR 4.4 +/- 4.5 vs A-noTR 1.16 +/- 3.9 p. < 0.01). Group B showed a negative delta EF (-4.4 +/- 5.3), and this result was more evident in non thrombolyzed AMI (B-TR -2 +/- 6.4 vs B-noTR -5.8 +/- 8 p. < 0.01).
Conclusions: A decrease in EF during exercise radionuclide angiography is useful in identifying pts with high risk of cardiac events after AMI. Thrombolytic therapy improves stress EF in both Groups A and B.