Use of the Corticosteroids
Figure 1A shows the timing of the initiation of the
corticosteroid therapy and maintenance dose in patients with CS (groups
1 and 2). In group 1, the steroid therapy was started at a median of 127
(12-176) months before the upgrade to CRT. In group 2, corticosteroids
were not used in 4 patients, and corticosteroids were introduced at a
median of 3.2 (2.5-4.1) months after the upgrade to CRT in 6 patients.Figure 1B shows the
comparison of the increased FDG uptake in the heart detected by the
PET/CT scan between the group 1 and 2.
The increased FDG uptake was
significantly less seen in group 1 than group 2 at the time of the
upgrade to CRT (14% vs. 70%, p = 0.0498). Figure 1C indicates
the defect area of
myocardial perfusion scintigraphy
(99mTc-tetrofosmin) in groups 1 and 2 at the time of
the CRT upgrade. A defect in the LV septum was more often seen in group
2 than group 1, but a defect in the LV lateral was more often seen in
group 1.