Left ventricular hypertrophy influences cardiac prognosis in patients undergoing dobutamine cardiac stress testing.

BACKGROUND This study was performed to determine the utility of dobutamine stress test results for predicting myocardial infarction (MI) and cardiac death in patients with chest pain and left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH). METHODS AND RESULTS Three hundred fifty-three participants with a mean+/-SD age of 64+/-12 years (54%men) underwent dobutamine cardiovascular magnetic resonance stress testing and then were followed up for 6+/-2 years (mean+/-SD; range, 0.5-11.5) to assess the post-dobutamine cardiovascular magnetic resonance stress test occurrence of MI or cardiac death. LV mass and the presence or absence of ischemia were determined; LVH was defined as an LV mass index >96 g/m(2) in men and >77 g/m(2) in women. LVH was present in 62 participants (18% of the men and 17% of the women, P=0.90). Seventy-one (20%) participants experienced an MI or cardiac death during follow-up. The MI and cardiac death rate was more frequent in those with versus without LVH (32% vs 17%, P=0.009). In multivariable analysis that accounted for the presence of preexisting coronary artery disease, hypertension, diabetes, stress-induced ischemia, and reduced LV ejection fraction, LVH was an independent predictor of MI and cardiac death (hazard ratio=1.99; 95% CI, 1.13-3.50; P=0.02). CONCLUSIONS LVH is predictive of future MI and cardiac death in patients with or without inducible ischemia during dobutamine cardiac stress testing. As a result, LVH should be reported in those referred for dobutamine cardiac stress tests, particularly in those without inducible ischemia, in whom one would otherwise assume a favorable cardiac prognosis.