Poststress left ventricular ejection fraction is an independent predictor of major cardiac events in patients with coronary artery disease and impaired left ventricular function.

AIM: The aim of this study was to investigate the prognostic value of myocardial perfusion and function SPECT imaging in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) and poor left ventricular (LV) function.

METHODS: We studied 261 patients (231 men, age 66+/-10 years) with CAD and a resting LV ejection fraction (LVEF)
RESULTS: During a median follow-up of 31 months, 52 patients (20%) died (35 cardiac deaths), 50 (19%) developed a MACE and 69 (26%) a MACE-HF. In a clinical model, diabetes and angina status were the only predictors of MACE (chi-squared=19.3; P<0.001). By multivariate analysis, poststress LVEF (chi-squared-gain of 6.4; P=0.008) and presence of ischemia (chi-squared-gain of 5.8; P=0.018) were predictive of MACE. Similarly, diabetes mellitus (chi-squared=12.1; P<0.001), poststress LVEF (chi-squared-gain of 5.5; P=0.019) and presence of ischemia (chi-squared-gain of 4.3; P=0.044) were independent predictors of MACE-HF. Diabetes mellitus (chi-squared=17.8; P<0.001), presence of angina complaints (chi-squared-gain of 6.8; P=0.028) and poststress LVEF (chi-squared-gain of 6.3; P=0.008) were independent predictors of cardiac death or non-fatal myocardial infarction.

CONCLUSION: In patients with impaired LV function and CAD, poststress LVEF is an independent predictor of future cardiac events.