Effect of vesnarinone on cardiac function in patients with severe congestive heart failure, ,

Background Vesnarinone has yielded controversial results on morbidity in patients with congestive heart failure. We tested the hypothesis that vesnarinone may have a beneficial effect on cardiac remodeling and function. Methods Thirty-four patients with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) <30% (17 treated with vesnarinone) underwent an echocardiography at baseline and at 12 ± 5 months. Left ventricular end-diastolic and end-systolic volume, mitral regurgitation, diastolic filling, and right ventricular area change were quantified and compared. Results When the vesnarinone group was considered as a whole, there was no significant effect of vesnarinone on cardiac systolic and diastolic function or remodeling. However, an increase in LVEF >7% was observed in six of the vesnarinone patients and none of the control group. Vesnarinone improved right and left ventricular systolic function significantly in patients with initial LVEF <25%. Conclusions In severe congestive heart failure, vesnarinone induces variable responses but improves biventricular performance in patients with the most impaired initial function. (Am Heart J 1998;136:769-77.)