[Right and left ventricular function during exercise-induced angina pectoris in patients with coronary artery disease...

In 19 patients with coronary heart disease, biplane cineventriculography of the left (LV) and right ventricle (RV) at rest (r) and under exercise induced angina pectoris (e) was performed. The RV enddiastolic volume index (EDVI) increased from 107.4 +/- 27.5 ml/m2 at r to 125.2 +/- 41.5 ml/m2 under e (p less than 0,001), the LVEDVI from 117 +/- 46.2 to 140.3 +/- 54.5 ml/m2 (p less than 0,001). The LV endsystolic volume index (ESVI) increased from 50.3 +/- 36.7 to 62.4 +/- 46.9 ml/m2 (p less than 0,005), RVESVI did not change significantly under e. Ejection fraction (EF) increased significantly under e in the RV from 57.5 +/- 10.8 to 61.8 +/- 12.5%; LVEF did not change significantly under e. There was a significant correlation between RV and LV enddiastolic pressure (EDP) under e: RVEDP = 0.31 LVEDP + 3.9, r = 0.72, p less than 0.001. EDVI as well as ESVI of RV and LV correlated significantly at r and under e: r: RVEDVI = 0.28 LVEDVI + 76.1, r = 0.47, p less than 0.05, e: RVEDVI = 0.41 LVEDVI + 67.2, r = 0.544, p less than 0.05; r: RVESVI = 0.26 LVESVI + 32.6, r = 0.565, p less than 0.05, e: RVESVI = 0.33 LVESVI + 27.4, r = 0.58, p less than 0.01. There was a significant correlation of mean circumferential fiber shortening of the RV (VD) and LV (VCF) under e: VD = 0.53 VCF + 0.56, r = 0.779, p less than 0.001. RVEF and LVEF showed no significant correlation at r and under e. The data suggest that the degree of coronary heart disease is a major factor in determining RV performance under stress.