Role of angiographic coronary artery collaterals in transient ischemic left ventricular cavity dilatation during stress echocardiography

Background: The role of coronary artery collaterals in transient ischemic left ventricular (LV) dilatation (TID) during stress echocardiography is not well defined. Hypothesis: Transient ischemic LV dilatation is a marker for extensive and severe coronary artery disease and represents patients without good collaterals. Methods: We evaluated 212 consecutive patients (57 ± 16 years, 70% male) who had coronary angiography and stress echocardiography within a 3-month period. This cohort of patients was divided into three groups based on type of collaterals: Group A: no collaterals; Group B: collaterals supplied by vessels without flow-limiting stenosis (good collaterals); Group C: collaterals supplied by vessels with flow-limiting stenosis (bad/jeopardized collaterals). In all patients, angiographic jeopardy score (AJS), ejection fraction (EF), and wall motion score index (WMSI) at rest and during stress were evaluated. Transient ischemic LV dilatation was defined as transient increase in the end-systolic dimensions from rest to peak stress. Results: Transient ischemic LV dilatation was present in 42 (20%) patients. Patients with TID had a lower EF, higher AJS, greater number of ischemic segments, and higher peak WMSI. Patients with TID in Group A (no collaterals) and Group C (jeopardized collaterals) had a greater percentage of multivessel disease than those in Group B (good collaterals). Presence of Group A or Group C collaterals was a predictor of TID even after controlling for multivessel disease, rest and peak WMSI, and left anterior descending artery disease. Conclusions: Transient ischemic LV dilatation on stress echocardiography is a marker for extensive and severe coronary artery disease and represents patients with angiographically absent collaterals or those with jeopardized coronary collaterals.