OBJECTIVE: To assess the prognostic value of wall motion abnormalities during the recovery phase of dobutamine stress echocardiography in addition to wall motion abnormalities at peak stress. METHODS: Wall motion abnormalities were assessed at peak and during recovery phase of dobutamine stress echocardiography in 187 consecutive patients, who were followed for occurrence of cardiac events. RESULTS: During follow-up (mean 36+/-28 months), 19 patients (10%) died from cardiac causes, 34 (18%) patients suffered nonfatal myocardial infarction, and 77 (41%) patients underwent late revascularization. Univariable predictors of cardiac events by Cox regression analysis were age (hazard ratio: 1.01; confidence interval: 1.00-1.03), dyslipidemia (hazard ratio: 1.41; confidence interval: 1.02-1.95), rest wall motion abnormalities (hazard ratio: 1.37; confidence interval: 1.14-1.64), new wall motion abnormalities (hazard ratio: 1.18; confidence interval: 0.95-1.45) at peak and new wall motion abnormalities (hazard ratio: 1.33; confidence interval: 1.11-1.59) at recovery phase of dobutamine stress echocardiography. The best multivariable model to predict cardiac events included new wall motion abnormality (hazard ratio: 5.34; confidence interval: 1.71-16.59) at recovery phase of dobutamine stress echocardiography, after controlling for clinical and peak dobutamine stress echocardiography data. CONCLUSIONS: Myocardial ischemia at recovery phase of dobutamine stress echocardiography is an independent predictor of cardiac events and has an incremental value when added to ischemia at peak.
OBJECTIVE: To assess the prognostic value of wall motion abnormalities during the recovery phase of dobutamine stress echocardiography in addition to wall motion abnormalities at peak stress. METHODS: Wall motion abnormalities were assessed at peak and during recovery phase of dobutamine stress echocardiography in 187 consecutive patients, who were followed for occurrence of cardiac events. RESULTS: During follow-up (mean 36+/-28 months), 19 patients (10%) died from cardiac causes, 34 (18%) patients suffered nonfatal myocardial infarction, and 77 (41%) patients underwent late revascularization. Univariable predictors of cardiac events by Cox regression analysis were age (hazard ratio: 1.01; confidence interval: 1.00-1.03), dyslipidemia (hazard ratio: 1.41; confidence interval: 1.02-1.95), rest wall motion abnormalities (hazard ratio: 1.37; confidence interval: 1.14-1.64), new wall motion abnormalities (hazard ratio: 1.18; confidence interval: 0.95-1.45) at peak and new wall motion abnormalities (hazard ratio: 1.33; confidence interval: 1.11-1.59) at recovery phase of dobutamine stress echocardiography. The best multivariable model to predict cardiac events included new wall motion abnormality (hazard ratio: 5.34; confidence interval: 1.71-16.59) at recovery phase of dobutamine stress echocardiography, after controlling for clinical and peak dobutamine stress echocardiography data. CONCLUSIONS:Myocardial ischemia at recovery phase of dobutamine stress echocardiography is an independent predictor of cardiac events and has an incremental value when added to ischemia at peak.