Assessment of left ventricular function in patients with atrial fibrillation by left ventricular filling and function curves determined by ECG gated blood pool scintigraphy

Accurate cardiac function in patients with atrial fibrillation (Af) is difficult to assess, since a wide fluctuation of cardiac cycle makes the ventricular hemodynamics variable. Although ECG gated blood pool scintigraphy (EGBPS) is useful to evaluate left ventricular (LV) function, a conventional EGBPS might have a problem in applying to Af. Therefore, a new processing algorithm was devised to make multiple gated images discriminated by preceding R-R intervals (PRR), and LV filling and function curves were obtained in 62 patients with Af to evaluate LV function. LV filling curve, obtained by plotting end-diastolic volume (EDV) againt PRR, demonstrated that the blood filling was impaired in mitral stenosis and constrictive pericarditis, but recovered after mitral commissurotomy. LV function curve, by plotting stroke volume (SV) againt EDV, was quantitatively analysed by the indices such as Slope and Position. Both indices reduced significantly in heart failure. When compared among underlying diseases individually, the indices decreased in the following order; lone Af, hyperthyroidism, senile Af, hypertension, mitral valve disease, ischemic heart disease, dilated cardiomyopathy and aortic regurgitation. After the treatment with digitalis and/or diuretics, left and upward shift of function curve was observed. The rise in heart rate by atropine infusion made Slope and Position unchanged, and which implied that function curve was little influenced by heart rate per se. The rise in systolic blood pressure by angiotensin-II infusion caused shifts in function curve to rightward and downward. Downward shift, mostly seen in patients with gentler slope in control state, may imply afterload mismatch due to a decrease in preload reserve. (J.P.N.)