Long-term effects of antilipidaemic therapy on left ventricular function in patients with dyslipidaemia: multigated radionuclide ventriculography study

AIMIt has been reported that dyslipidaemia impairs left ventricular systolic (LVs) and diastolic (LVd) functions, irrespective of atherogenic effects, in the setting of coronary artery disease. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of anti-lipidaemic therapy on LVs and LVd functions by means of multigated radionuclide ventriculography (RNV) in subjects with signs of dyslipidaemia and with preserved left ventricular function. METHODSEighteen patients with dyslipidaemia (eight men, 10 women, mean age 50±10 years) were included in the study. While the clinical examination and treadmill exercise test results were normal in all patients, low-density lipoprotein levels exceeded 160 mg · dl. Patients with medical conditions including coronary artery disease, hypertension, diabetes, cardiomyopathy and valvular heart disease which would influence left ventricular function were excluded from the study. RNV was performed in all subjects, taking into account the best septal position to differentiate the left ventricle from the right ventricle. The following parameters were calculatedejection fraction, peak ejection rate (PER), time to peak ejection (TPER), a ejection rate (aER), a ejection fraction (aEF), Peak filling rate (PFR), time to peak filling rate (TPFR), a filling rate (aFR), a filling fraction (aFF). RESULTSThe low-density lipoprotein value decreased and the high-density lipoprotein value increased after statin therapy (P