Atrioventricular plane motion during dobutamine-atropine stress echocardiography: The biphasic response in healthy subjects revisited

This study was undertaken to establish normal values for the systolic atrio ventricular plane motion (AVPM) from base to apex during dobutamine-atropin e stress echocardiography (DASE) and to compare them with those of patients with coronary artery disease. The AVPM was measured at baseline, low dose and peak dobutamine-atropine infusion in 20 patients referred for coronary angiography and in 20 control subjects. Atrioventricular plane motion was m easured at the posterior, anterior, septal and lateral positions of the mit ral annulus in the apical 2- and 4-chamber views by an observer blinded to clinical and angiographic data. In healthy subjects undergoing DASE, AVPM i nitially increased but subsequently decreased to below baseline values at p eak stress. Atrioventricular plane motion at any stage and the changes ther ein during DASE were within the normal reference interval in the majority o f patients. In conclusion, AVPM decreased during DASE in healthy subjects a nd was not a sensitive marker of coronary artery disease.