Evaluation of cardiac function by equilibrium gated radionuclide ventriculography in DCM patients treated with rhGH

Objective To evaluate the cardiac function using equilibrium gated radionuclide ventriculography in dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) patients treated with recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH). Methods Fifty-six DCM patients were randomized into two groups: rhGH group (n=28), treated with rhGH 4.5 U qod im plus routine heart failure treatment; control group (n=28), treated with routine heart failure treatment only. Cardiac function was assessed by dimensional echocardiography (2D-echo) and equilibrium gated radionuclide ventriculography before and 3 months after the treatment. Results ①The end systolic inner diameter (mm) of left ventricle measured by 2D-echo decreased from 59.8±7.2 to 53.6±8.4 (P0.01). The left ventricle ejection fraction (LVEF) significantly increased from (28.32±6.95)% to (38.30±5.91)% (P0.01). Systolic early time (PER) increased from (2.11±0.91) EDV/s to (2.96±0.60) EDV/s (P0.05) after the treatment in 7 patients with only left ventricle dilatation. ②LVEF increased from (23.6±9.65)% to (35.65±9.21)% (P0.01). PER of left ventricle increased from (0.94±0.65) EDV/s to (1.76±0.82) EDV/s (P0.01). The right ventricle ejection fraction (RVEF) increased from (22.40±7.51)% to (33.65±5.11)% (P0.01). PER of right ventricle increased from (0.89±0.46) EDV/s to (1.37±0.51) EDV/s (P0.05) in 21 patients with both left and right ventricle dilatation by equilibrium gated cardiac blood pool imaging. Conclusions This study shows that equilibrium gated cardiac blood pool imaging is an objective and useful method for evaluating cardiac function in DCM patients treated with rhGH for 3 months; and rhGH can significantly improve cardiac function, increase both LVEF and RVEF in DCM patients.