Prevalence of regional left ventricular dysfunction in patients with coronary artery disease

Left ventricular (LV) wall motion was evaluated prospectively by M-mode echocardiography for 503 patients, and results were compared with cinearteriographic and ECG findings. M-mode results from 92 of the patients were also compared with two-dimensional echocardiographic (2D) and LV angiographic findings. Abnormal echo motion was found by M-mode in 89 percent of patients with ECG Q waves of infarction and in 61 percent of coronary artery disease (CAD) patients without Q waves. Thirty-four percent of CAD patients had normal wall motion on M-mode examination. More abnormalities were detected when patients were examined using both M-mode and 2D, because M-mode was more sensitive in detecting anterior lesions and 2D was more sensitive in detecting posterior lesions. Both M-mode and 2D showed a low incidence of false-positive diagnosis (less than 2 percent) for patients with normal findings at cardiac catheterization.