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Changes in myocardial perfusion due to physical exercise in patients with stable coronary artery disease

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European Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) is one of the main therapy options for patients with coronary artery disease (CAD), resulting in an improvement in myocardial perfusion and exercise capacity. Nevertheless, studies have also demonstrated a positive effect of regular exercise training on myocardial perfusion and maximum exercise capacity. The aim of this study was to evaluate changes in myocardial stress perfusion after 1 year of exercise training in comparison with the effects of PTCA in patients with CAD.

Methods

In 66 male patients with angiographically confirmed significant coronary artery stenosis in one target vessel, myocardial perfusion scintigraphy was performed at baseline and 12 months after randomisation into either a physical exercise group or a PTCA group. Circumferential count rate profiles in 16 wall segments were classified according to their relative count rate and localisation within or outside the area supplied by the stenosed vessel.

Results

Ischaemic segments showed a significant improvement in myocardial count rate within the target area after 12 months in both the PTCA and the training group (PTCA group: from 76.8±4.9% to 86.6±10.9%, p=0.03; training group: from 74.0±7.3% to 83.7±10.8%, p<0.01). Outside the target area only the training group showed a significant improvement (from 77.7±4.4% to 91.7±4.8%, p<0.01).

Conclusion

Our data indicate a significant improvement in stress myocardial perfusion in the training group after 12 months. The ischaemia is reduced not only in the target region of the leading stenosis but also in other ischaemic myocardial areas. In contrast, after PTCA stress perfusion improves only in the initially ischaemic parts of the target area.

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Acknowledgement

We would like to thank Amersham Buchler GmbH & Co. KG, General Electric Healthcare for the financial support in the publication of this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Nuclear Medicine, University of Leipzig, Stephanstrasse 9a, 04103, Leipzig, Germany

    Kai Kendziorra, Marcus Foerster, Osama Sabri & Regine Kluge

  2. Heart Center, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany

    Claudia Walther, Sven Möbius-Winkler, Katrin Conradi, Gerhard Schuler & Rainer Hambrecht

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  1. Kai Kendziorra
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  2. Claudia Walther
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  6. Gerhard Schuler
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  7. Osama Sabri
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  8. Rainer Hambrecht
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  9. Regine Kluge
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Correspondence to Kai Kendziorra.

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Kendziorra, K., Walther, C., Foerster, M. et al. Changes in myocardial perfusion due to physical exercise in patients with stable coronary artery disease. Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging 32, 813–819 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00259-005-1768-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00259-005-1768-1

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