Improvement in left ventricular ejection fraction and wall motion after successful recanalization of chronic coronary occlusions.

AIMS: This study assessed changes in left ventricular ejection fraction and regional radial shortening after successful angioplasty of chronic coronary occlusions.

METHODS: We studied 95 patients with angina pectoris or exercise-induced ischaemia with a successfully recanalized chronic (median duration 4.3 months) coronary occlusion. Intracoronary stents were implanted in 71%. Left ventriculograms were obtained at baseline and after 6.7 +/- 1.4 months. Left ventricular ejection fraction and regional radial shortening were determined by a computer-assisted method.

RESULTS: Left ventricular ejection fraction increased from 0.62 +/- 0.13 at baseline to 0.67 +/- 0.11 at follow-up (P < 0.001). The change in left ventricular ejection fraction in patients with a patent artery and in patients with reocclusion (n = 8) was 0.05 +/- 0.06 and 0.01 +/- 0.04, respectively (P = 0.04). Regional radial shortening in the territory of the recanalized artery increased by 16% (from 0.28 +/- 0.11 to 0.32 +/- 0.11, P < 0.001) in patients with a patent artery at follow-up, but was unchanged in patients with reocclusion.

CONCLUSION: Long-term patency after recanalization of old, chronic coronary occlusions in patients with angina pectoris is associated with improvement in global and regional left ventricular function. This may be a result of recovery of hibernating myocardium and supports the strategy of recanalizing chronic coronary occlusions.