RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Changes in the Doppler myocardial performance index during dobutamine echocardiography: association with neurohormonal activation and prognosis after acute myocardial infarction JF Heart JO Heart FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and British Cardiovascular Society SP 1071 OP 1076 DO 10.1136/hrt.2005.066225 VO 92 IS 8 A1 B Nørager A1 M Husic A1 J E Møller A1 A Bo Hansen A1 P A Pellikka A1 K Egstrup YR 2006 UL http://heart.bmj.com/content/92/8/1071.abstract AB Objectives: To test whether an increase in Doppler myocardial performance index (MPI) during dobutamine stress echocardiography, reflecting deterioration of overall left ventricular function, is associated with increased N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-pro-BNP) concentration and provides prognostic information beyond conventional systolic wall motion analysis after acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Design: Prospective, observational study. Methods: Dobutamine–atropine stress echocardiography (DASE) and NT-pro-BNP were assessed five days after AMI in 109 consecutive patients. MPI was measured at rest and at low-dose (10 μg/kg/min) and peak dobutamine infusion (⩽ 40 μg/kg/min with or without atropine). Main outcome measures: End point was a composite of cardiac death or readmission for heart failure or reinfarction. Results: In 35 patients (32%), MPI increased at low-dose DASE. This was associated with higher NT-pro-BNP concentrations (β  =  0.30, p  =  0.004). During a mean follow up of 27 (SD 7) months, 8 patients died of cardiac causes and 15 patients were readmitted for heart failure or reinfarction. On Cox regression analysis, an increase in MPI at low-dose DASE (p  =  0.02) was an independent predictor of cardiac events. In contrast, traditional wall motion analysis during DASE provided no additional prognostic information. Conclusions: An increase in MPI at low-dose DASE, reflecting early deterioration of overall left ventricular function, is associated with raised NT-pro-BNP concentration and provides prognostic information beyond conventional stress echocardiographic data after AMI.