Exercise radionuclide cineangiography for predicting long term prognosis in elderly post coronary artery bypass graft patients

Issue. The immediate benefits of coronary artery bypass grafting may only be transient. Recent studies which showed that exercise radionuclide cineangiography studies may predict cardiac events and survival had evaluated post coronary artery bypass grafting patients of all ages. This prospective study was done on an elderly subgroup. Methods. The results of exercise radionuclide cineangiography performed early (4-8 months) post coronary artery bypass grafting were correlated over six years of follow up with mortality, major surgical and nonsurgical cardiac events, and cardiac event free survival in 87 consecutive patients ≥65 years. Results. The rest to peak exercise difference in left ventricular ejection fraction correlated with later cardiac death and the need for surgical interventions, while rest left ventricular ejection fraction correlated only with the latter parameter. Conclusions. Assessment of left ventricular ejection fraction at rest and at exercise has prognostic values after coronary artery bypass grafting in elderly patients. Exercise radionuclide cineangiography carried out soon after coronary artery bypass grafting might be considered an useful tool to assess patient prognosis. The efficacy of exercise radionuclide cineangiography carried out soon after coronary artery bypass grafting should be confirmed in larger and more varied patient subgroups. (C) 2000 by Cardiovascular Reviews and Reports, Inc.