Value of radionuclide rest and exercise left ventricular ejection fraction in assessing survival of patients after thrombolytic therapy for acute myocardial infarction: Results of thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) phase II study

Objectives.This study sought to determine the prognostic value of rest and exercise left ventricular ejection fraction in patients receiving thrombolytic therapy as part of the Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) trial.Background.In the prethrombolytic era, ejection fraction at rest as well as during exercise was an important prognostic index in patients recovering from acute myocardial infarction. The prognostic value of these measurements in the thrombolytic era is not clear.Methods.As part of the TIMI II protocol, we obtained radio-nuclide left ventricular ejection fraction at rest and during symptom-limited submaximal supine exercise. Measurements were related to 1-year all-cause as well as cardiac mortality. In addition, the relation between ejection fraction obtained at rest and 1-year cardiac mortality in this study was compared with the relation established previously in the prethrombolytic era by the Multicenter Postinfarction Research Group.Results.A distinct relation was noted between left ventricular ejection fraction at rest and all-cause mortality. The highest mortality rate (9.9%) was noted in patients with an ejection fraction