Cardiac changes during 2-deoxy-d-glucose test. A study in patients with selective vagotomy and pyloroplasty.

2-Deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG), a potent vagal stimulator, is used for testing the completeness of surgical vagotomies. 2-DG has however not yet been employed routinely for the postoperative testing of bagotomized patients because of possible cardiotoxic effects. In a previous study, we have shown the effects of 2-DG on the resting ECG in 48 patients. We did not observe any significant changes besides nonspecific T wave flattening and QT prolongation. The present investigation included 37 additional patients. In 27 patients, a continuous ECG tape recording for detection of arrhythmias was performed and in 10 patients, the systolic time intervals for non-invasive assessment of the myocardial contractility was recorded before and after 2-DG. Serious arrhythmias were not provoked by 2-DG. Premature contractions were, as a whole, not incrased by the drug. 2-DG did not have any cardiodepressive action. On the contrary myocardial contractility evaluated by the systolic time intervals was enhanced.