Effect of arotinolol on right ventricular function in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy

Objective Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is generally considered to be accompanied by both left and right ventricular dysfunction, but most studies only analyze the left ventricular function. In this study, we evaluated the effect of arotinolol on right ventricular function in patients with DCM. Methods Right ventricular ejection fraction (RVEF) and right ventricular diameter (RVD) were measured by two-dimensional echocardiography (2-DE) in 33 DCM patients; RVEF measured by first-pass radionuclide angiography (FPRA) was compared with that by 2-DE. Results The treatment with arotinolol for one year resulted in a reduction in the right ventricular diameter (baseline, 23.0±8.3 mm vs after one-year treatment, 20.7±5.4 mm; P=0.004 ) and an associated increase in ejection fraction (baseline, 36.9±10.3% vs after one-year treatment, 45.8±9.6%; P < 0.001 ); there is a high correlation between the 2-DE method and radionuclide ventriculographic method. The correlation coefficient is 0.933 (P<0.001). Conclusion Arotinolol therapy could not only improve left ventricular function, but also improve right ventricular function in DCM patients.