The relation between VE-VCO
2 slope and left ventricular function was examined in 38 patients (37 male and 1 female; mean age 55.1 ± 7.3 years) with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Left ventricular function was measured with electrocardiogram gated single photon emission computed tomography in the acute phase (4.0 ± 2.4 days after onset) and the chronic phase (170.7 ± 57.4 days after onset). Cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPX) was performed 33.9 ± 13.5 days after the onset of AMI for expiration gas analysis. In the chronic phase, the VE-VCO
2 slope showed significant correlation with the end-diastolic volume (
r=0.52;
p<0.001), end-systolic volume (
r=0.46;
p<0.004) and ejection fraction (
r=-0.34;
p<0.03). Therefore, the left ventricular function in the chronic phase could be estimated by the VE-VCO
2 slope. The VE-VCO
2 slope of the remodeling (RM) group was significantly higher than that of the non-RM group (
p<0.02). There was no significant difference between the Peak VO
2 values of the two groups. Thus, the VE-VCO
2 slope can be used to estimate the left ventricular function and to predict RM.
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