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Reversal of rest myocardial asynergy during exercise: a radionuclide scintigraphic study

Journal Article · · J. Am. Coll. Cardiol.; (United States)

While exercise-induced segmental left ventricular wall motion abnormalities are well described, the phenomenon of improvement in certain asynergic segments during exercise in some patients remains a curiosity. To assess this unexpected finding, results were analyzed in 85 patients with wall motion abnormalities at rest who underwent two view exercise radionuclide ventriculography and exercise thallium-201 myocardial perfusion imaging. Wall motion was scored with a 5 point system; normalization or increase of 2 or more points with exercise signified improvement. Forty-eight patients (56%) had no change or further deterioration of wall motion at peak exercise, 15 (18%) showed both improvement of wall motion and deterioration and 22 (26%) showed only improvement of wall motion. Wall motion improvement during exercise was found in 57 (20%) of 279 segments with asynergy at rest. Of these 57 segments improving with exercise, 45 (79%) showed mild and 12 (21%) showed severe asynergy at rest. Only seven segments (12%) were associated with pathologic Q waves. Thallium-201 perfusion was normal in 44 segments (77%) while only 6 segments (11%) had reversible and only 7 (12%) had nonreversible thallium-201 defects. In conclusion segments with abnormal wall motion at rest that show improvement with exercise appear to represent viable nonischemic segments.

Research Organization:
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA
OSTI ID:
6234638
Journal Information:
J. Am. Coll. Cardiol.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Am. Coll. Cardiol.; (United States) Vol. 5; ISSN JACCD
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English