GAMMAGRAFÍA DE PERFUSIÓN MIOCÁRDICA EN MUJERES POSMENOPÁUSICAS CON ANGINA Y CORONARIAS EPICÁRDICAS ANGIOGRÁFICAMENTE NORMALES / Myocardial perfusion scintigraphy in postmenopausal women with angina and angiographically normal epicardial coronary

Abstract

Introduction and Objectives: Microvascular angina is common in postmenopausal women. Myocardial ischemia was induced by stress testing, and reports have been published about the relationship between endothelial dysfunction and myocardial perfusion. The objective of this research was to determine whether myocardial ischemia can be evidenced by abnormalities in perfusion and function, as detected by myocardial scintigraphy in women with typical angina, normal coronary angiography and endothelial dysfunction. Methods: 59 women underwent lipid and endothelial function measurements by brachial artery ultrasound, in addition, a 24-hour ECG study (Holter). During the scintigraphy a stress-rest protocol was applied. Patients were divided into two groups according to presence (group I) or absence (group II) of myocardial perfusion defects. Results: 21 patients showed perfusion defects. 57 % of group I exhibited greater endothelial dysfunction. Only twelve patients showed reversible perfusion defects, and 75 % of the cases was associated with a reduction of post-stress left ventricular ejection fraction, greater than 5 %, and regional abnormalities of wall motion. Three patients in group I showed evidence of ischemia compared with four in Group II. Conclusions: The stress-induced ischemia was associated with a reduced post-stress ejection fraction and endothelial dysfunction in the studied women, and no ischemic changes in the Holter were found.

Keywords

• Microvascular angina
• single photon emission computed tomography
• thallium
• technetium
• ventricular function