Value of low dose dobutamine stress echocardiography in detecting survival myocardium

Objective To assess the value of low-dose dobutamine stress echocardiography(LDDSE)for detecting survival myocardium. Methods LDDSE was conducted within one week before coronary revascularization in 30 patients with myocardial infarction, who had undergone successfully coronary revascularization. Dobutamine was incessantly infused at incremental dose 5,10 μg·kg~(-1)·min~(-1). Wall motion was graded and scored using a 16-segment model and semiquantitative analysis method. Compared with the actual contractile improvement of post coronary revascularization, LDDSE sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy for identifying viable myocardium were calculated. Results Hemodynamics was not altered(P(0.05)) during dobutamine 5 μg·kg~(-1)·min~(-1) stage. Blood pressure had significant increase both in dobutamine 10 μg·kg~(-1)·min~(-1) stage and post-coronary revascularization. The sensitivity,specificity,accuracy of dobutamine 5 and 10 μg·kg~(-1)·min~(-1) were (73.0)% and (89.6)%, (81.7)% and (82.8)%,(76.9)% and (86.5)%, respectively. Conclusions LDDSE is a simple,safe and no injury means to identify survival myocardium in myocardial infarction.