[Echocardiographic evaluation of adriamycin cardiotoxicity during polychemotherapy (author's transl)]

Left ventricular function in 21 patients treated by polychemotherapy including adriamycin (ADM) has been studied by repeated echocardiographic examination. The mean rate of circumferential, the ejection fraction, and the shortening fraction are the most significant data obtained by this investigation. They permit the detection of early damage of left ventricular performance which increases progressively, confirming the dose-dependent nature of the cardiomyopathy. Supervision of patients under ADM is necessary to recognize those who rapidly develop cardiomyopathy. In these cases, treatment interruption may be beneficial. In contrast, patients with little left ventricular damage can be treated by a total dosage of ADM superior to that actually recommended.