Abstract
Purpose: We have observed that patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and without myocardial defects have elevated thallium uptake in the lung fields during stress testing. The purpose of this study is to examine this hypothesis comparing lung to heart (L/H) ratios obtained from patients with AF and patients in normal sinus rhythm (SR). Methods: Ten patients with AF who underwent thallium study and had no transient or fixed myocardial perfusion defect formed the study group and 10 age matched patients in SR formed the control group. L/H ratio was calculated in both groups on the immediate anterior planar images. Results: The mean L/H ratio for the AF group was 0.41±0.1, and for the SR group was 0.25±0.02 (P<0.005). There was no significant difference noted in the clinical parameters between the two groups. Conclusion: L/H ratio in patients with AF was significantly elevated as compared to the control group in SR. Clinical Implications: Elevated L/H ratio on thallium study is an indirect indicator of LV dysfunction. This study suggests that AF may be responsible for some degree of LV dysfunction. Better management of AF may in turn lead to decreased LV dysfunction and result in a more favorable clinical outcome.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 105S |
| Journal | Chest |
| Volume | 110 |
| Issue number | 4 SUPPL. |
| State | Published - Oct 1996 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine
- Critical Care and Intensive Care Medicine
- Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine