Angina patients with diastolic versus systolic heart failure demonstrate comparable immediate and one-year benefit from enhanced external counterpulsation

Background: Enhanced external counterpulsation (EECP) is effective in treating angina in coronary artery disease patients. Whether EECP produces similar immediate and sustained benefits and freedom from adverse events (MACE) at I year in patients with severe systolic dysftinction versus diastolic dysfunction is unknown. Methods and Results: Data of 746 angina patients with a history of heart failure enrolled in the International EECP Registry were divided into 2 groups: left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) less than or equal to35% (S) and LVEF >35% (D). Mean LVEF was 51.0 +/- 10.2% in diastolic dysfunction (n = 391) versus 26.3 +/- 6.9% in systolic dysfunction (n = 355). At baseline, 92.0% of diastolic dysfunction and 90.9% of systolic had Canadian Cardiovascular Society Class III/IV angina with similar number of anginal episodes and nitroglycerin use. After 32 hours of EECP, angina was reduced by greater than or equal to1 class in 71.9% of diastolic versus 72.2% of systolic with similar decreases in anginal episodes and nitroglycerin use. At 1-year 78.1% of diastolic and 75.8% of systolic have less angina than pre-EECP. MACE at I year was also comparable (24.4 versus 23.8%). Conclusions: The benefits of EECP in heart failure patients were similar regardless of diastolic or systolic dysfunction. The improvement was sustained at I year with similar MACE.