Detection of viable myocardium using different protocols of dobutamine stress echocardiography

Objective:To investigate the value of low dose dobutamine stress echocardiography (LDDSE)and standard dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE)in detecting viable myocardium of CAD patients.Methods:Standard DSE protocol were performed in14healthy persons and20CAD patients who had been admitted for a quantitative coronary angiography(QCA).The changes of left ventricular wall motion were recorded during dobutamine(Dob)infusion and the wall motion were graded and marked in a semi-quantitative motion using the standard16-segment 4-score model in each segment at baseline,10μg?kg·min and40μg?kg·min during Dob infusion.Results:Altogether544segments,81Segments'wall motion improved during LDDSE,75segments had a biphasic response in CAD.WMSI of CAD at baseline(b)was1.36±0.21(P0.001),at low dose(l)was1.17±0.16(P0.001),at peak dose(p)was1.48±0.20(P0.05).Conclusions:DSE is a valuable noninvasive method in detecting viable myocardium of CAD patients.LDDSE has a high sensitivity in detecting viable myocardium,but it has a lower specificity than DSE method.