OBJECTIVETo compare the prognostic value of regional longitudinal ventricular systolic velocities with that of maximal oxygen consumption (VO(2max)) in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM).

METHODSVO(2max) derived from cardiopulmonary exercise tests and regional longitudinal ventricular systolic velocities obtained from tissue Doppler imaging were compared in 18 DCM patients with cardiac events (death, cardiac transplantation, hospitalization, group A) and 24 patients without cardiac events (group B). Peak velocities during isovolumic contraction (is) and ejection (ez) were interrogated at the mitral or tricuspid annulus (site 1), at the mid parts of the walls (site 3, at the level of papillary muscle), and at the midpoints (site 2) between sites 1 and 3 of interventricular septum (S), lateral wall of LV (L) and of RV (R) in apical 4 chambers view.

RESULTSR1is, R2is, R2ez, R3is, S1is, S1ez, S2ez, L1is, L1ez and L2ez of group A were significantly lower than those in group B (all P < 0.05). Independent of VO(2max), high sensitivity and specificity were shown for R3ez, S1ez, L1ez, L1is, L2is and L3is in predicting cardiac events of DCM patients.

CONCLUSIONLV and RV systolic velocities could independently predict cardiac events in DCM patients.

Adult ; Aged ; Cardiomyopathy, Dilated ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; metabolism ; Echocardiography, Doppler ; Exercise Test ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Heart Ventricles ; diagnostic imaging ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Oxygen Consumption ; Prognosis ; Systole ; Ventricular Function, Left ; Ventricular Function, Right