Usefulness of left ventricular conic index measured by real-time three-dimensional echocardiography to predict left ventricular remodeling after acute myocardial infarction.

Early identification of left ventricular (LV) remodeling after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is of clinical importance. The predictive value of real-time 3-dimensional echocardiography (RT-3DE) for LV remodeling after AMI is unknown. We prospectively studied 62 patients with AMI who underwent RT-3DE at baseline (72 ± 5 hours) and 1 month and 6 months after AMI. LV remodeling was defined as a >20% increase from baseline in LV end-diastolic volume (LVEDV) at 6 months. At 6 months, 20 patients (32%) with and 42 (68%) without LV remodeling were identified. Patients with remodeling showed increased LVEDV, from 112.6 ± 17.2 to 138 ± 31 ml (p 3.87. In conclusion, LV conic index measured by RT-3DE in the early phase after AMI can accurately predict LV remodeling over 6-month follow-up.