Left ventricular ejection fraction and left ventricular end-diastolic volume in patients with diastolic dysfunction.

Diastolic dysfunction can be diagnosed on equilibrium radionuclide angiocardiography (ERNA) by a low peak filling rate (PFR) in the setting of a normal left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). The authors evaluated the relationship between diastolic dysfunction, LVEF, and end-diastolic volume (EDV). A total of 408 predominantly asymptomatic patients with an LVEF ≥50% by ERNA were studied. LVEF of patients with a low PFR was compared with the LVEF of patients with a normal PFR. Correlation analyses to evaluate the association between PFR and EDV were also performed. The LVEF of patients with a low PFR was lower than the LVEF of patients with normal PFR (59±7 vs 63%±7%; P<.01). There was no correlation between EDV and PFR (r=-0.04; P=.32). The results did not change when the EDV indices were used. In patients who had repeat scans, there was no correlation between the change in EDV and the change in PFR (r=0.16; P=.2). In asymptomatic patients undergoing ERNA who have normal systolic function, a low PFR can be associated with a lower LVEF, but it is not associated with changes in EDV. This suggests that diastolic dysfunction is associated with mild systolic dysfunction.