RADIONUCLIDE ANGIOGRAPHY IN YOUNG HEALTHY-VOLUNTEERS - CHANGES WITH DIFFERENT STRESS TESTS

Background. Due to the increasing use of pharmacologic stress tests an d the lack of comparative studies on ventricular function, this study was designed to establish the average limits in ventricular function w ith different kinds of stress, and to compare the response among them. Methods. A randomized, open, controlled phase II clinical trial in 4 parallel groups was designed. Forty healthy male volunteers between 18 and 25 years were randomized into 4 groups of 10 individuals each: ph ysical exercise (group 1), dobutamine (group 2), adenosine triphosphat e (ATP) (group 3) and dipyridamole (group 4). Each volunteer underwent equilibrium radionuclide angiography, at rest and during stress. Resu lts. The global and regional ejection fraction increased significantly with the 4 kinds of stress. The maximal increase was reached with dob utamine and the minimal with dipyridamole. Physical exercise induced a n increase in global ejection of 13 +/- 5%; dobutamine 16 +/- 6%; ATP 9 +/- 3% and dipyridamole 4 +/- 3%. Conclusions. The global and region al ejection fraction increases significantly more with dobutamine than with the other stress tests. Dipyridamole elicits the minimal increas e.