Feasibility, Reproducibility, and Prognostic Value of Exercise Echocardiography for Cardiac Output Reserve Assessment in Fontan Physiology.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility and prognostic value of cardiac output (CO) reserve assessment using exercise echocardiography in Fontan patients. We hypothesized that adults with Fontan palliation had lower CO reserve compared with controls, and impaired CO reserve was associated with greater congestion (NT-proBNP [N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide]) and cardiovascular events (death/transplant/heart failure hospitalization) in Fontan patients.

Methods

Thirty-seven Fontan patients and 61 controls underwent exercise echocardiography using a supine cycle ergometer. Doppler-derived CO and oxygen consumption (VO₂) were assessed at rest and every stage of exercise. CO reserve was calculated as ∆CO/Watt (∆CO/W) and ∆CO/∆VO

SUBMITTER: Egbe AC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12604847 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature