Wall motion abnormalities and hemodynamic parameters in patients with left bundle branch block during exercise echocardiography

: Study aim was to investigate dynamics of local contractility and hemodynamic parameters during exercise stress echocardiography (EEcho) in patients with left bundle branch block (LBBB). We examined 23 patients (15 men, 8 women) aged 48-65 years (mean age 53.9+/-8.1 years). Bicycle EEcho was accomplished according to standard protocol. Patients without clinical signs of ischemic heart disease (n=11) comprised group 1, patients after myocardial infarction (n=12) - group 2 (subgroup 2A - with negative test result, subgroup 2B - with worsening of local left ventricular contractility during EEcho). At baseline group 1 patients had significantly better hemodynamic parameters (ejection fraction - EF, left ventricular end diastolic volume - LVEDV) and no abnormalities of local contractility. Exercise tolerance was also the highest in this group. Insignificant worsening of postexercise EF occurred in patients of subgroup 2B (from 46+/-10.5 to 44,2+/-9.4%). In group 1 EF significantly increased (from 56.8+/-10.5% to 64.7+/-15.4%, <0.05), in subgroup 2A tendency to EF increase up to 48.7+/-9.9% was registered. Lowering of local contractility abnormalities index was noted also only in patients of subgroup 2B (from 1.54+/-0.4 to 2.17+/-0.37 (p<0.01). LVEDV compared with initial values tended to decrease in both groups (however differences between groups were not significant). Positive echocardiographic response was associated with significant changes of transmitral blood flow. Angiographically clean coronary arteries were found in 8 of 10 patients in group 1. Six group 2 patients with history of typical clinical picture of angina and myocardial infarction) had multivessel lesions in coronary vascular bed. EEcho result was positive in 5 of 6 group 2 patients. Thus EEcho possesses high potential for diagnosis of coronary atherosclerosis in patients with LBBB. This allows recommending it as a first line method in patients with this pathology.