Table 1. Mean paired difference among variables pre- and post-levosimendan infusion.
| Variables | Pre-levosimendan
infusion |
Post-levosimendan
infusion |
Mean differences | P−value |
| Data are presented as means ± SD. NYHA: New York Heart Association. | ||||
| Age, yrs | 73.8 ± 4.7 | − | − | − |
| Height, cm | 174 ± 7 | − | − | − |
| Weight, kg | 68.2 ± 13.3 | 67.9 ± 13.2 | −0.3 ± 0.9 | 0.279 |
| Systolic arterial pressure, mmHg | 100 ± 17 | 99 ± 11 | −1 ± 16 | 0.847 |
| Diastolic arterial pressure, mmHg | 62 ± 9 | 61 ± 9 | −0.6 ± 3.6 | 0.572 |
| Heart rate, beats/min | 75 ± 8 | 76 ± 11 | 0.9 ± 12.3 | 0.813 |
| NYHA class | 3.5 ± 0.5 | 2.7 ± 0.9 | −0.8 ± 0.7 | 0.005 |
| Laboratory assessment | ||||
| Lactate, mmol/L | 1.26 ± 0.31 | 1.00 ± 0.26 | −0.26 ± 0.36 | 0.035 |
| pH | 7.27 ± 0.07 | 7.33 ± 0.08 | 0.06 ± 0.08 | 0.026 |
| N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide, pg/mL | 24,445 ± 12,194 | 18,481 ± 10,353 | −5,964 ± 6,288 | 0.01 |
| Serum Na+, mEq/L | 134 ± 4 | 136 ± 3 | 1.3 ± 3.2 | 0.196 |
| Serum K+, mEq/L | 4.0 ± 0.5 | 4.2 ± 0.9 | 0.2 ± 0.7 | 0.366 |
| Serum creatinine, mg/dL | 1.55 ± 0.85 | 1.65 ± 0.84 | 0.1 ± 0.28 | 0.268 |
| Impedance cardiography | ||||
| Impedance, Ohm | 37.5 ± 11.1 | 31.5 ± 12.8 | −6.0 ± 7.6 | 0.026 |
| Fluid, L/Ohm | 31 ± 7 | 37 ± 14 | 5.8 ± 12.3 | 0.149 |
| Stroke volume, mL | 42.8 ± 8.2 | 50.8 ± 9.9 | 8.0 ± 5.3 | 0.001 |
| Cardiac output, L/min | 3.0 ± 0.6 | 3.7 ± 0.9 | 0.69 ± 0.46 | 0.001 |
| Cardiac index, L/min per m2 | 1.96 ± 0.52 | 2.23 ± 0.42 | 0.27 ± 0.52 | 0.110 |
| Systemic vascular resistances, dyns/cm5 | 3,042 ± 759 | 2,773 ± 925 | −269 ± 492 | 0.100 |
| Three-dimensional echocardiography | ||||
| End-diastolic volume left ventricle, mL | 243 ± 91 | 238 ± 91 | −5 ± 11 | 0.160 |
| End-systolic volume left ventricle, mL | 199 ± 81 | 184 ± 80 | −15 ± 17 | 0.016 |
| Left ventricular ejection fraction, % | 19.7 ± 5.7 | 25.0 ± 7.8 | 5.3 ± 4.6 | 0.003 |
| Stroke volume, mL | 43.0 ± 11.9 | 50.5 ± 12.7 | 7.5 ± 10.3 | 0.035 |
| Cardiac output, L/min | 3.06 ± 0.84 | 3.46 ± 0.98 | 0.40 ± 0.81 | 0.135 |
| Left ventricular mass, gr | 96 ± 14 | 98 ± 10 | 2.1 ± 5.9 | 0.274 |
| Left ventricular global longitudinal strain, % | −2.6 ± 1.2 | −4.3 ± 1.5 | −1.7 ± 1.4 | 0.002 |
| Two-dimensional echocardiography | ||||
| End-diastolic diameter right ventricle, mm | 53 ± 7 | 48 ± 7 | −5 ± 6 | 0.018 |
| Tricuspid anular plane systolic excursion, mm | 12.5 ± 2.7 | 15.6 ± 3.9 | 3.1 ± 2.6 | 0.003 |
| Pulmonary arterial systolic pressure, mmHg | 48 ± 16 | 37 ± 18 | −11 ± 18 | 0.059 |
| B-lines | 18 ± 5 | 10 ± 6 | −8 ± 6 | 0.002 |
| Mechanical dispersion, ms | 158 ± 72 | 152 ± 66 | −6 ± 16 | 0.247 |
| Left ventricular global longitudinal strain, % | −3.0 ± 1.8 | −4.7 ± 2.1 | −1.8 ± 1.6 | 0.004 |