Evaluation of the anti-ischemic effects of D-ribose during dobutamine stress echocardiography: a pilot study
2009

Effects of D-Ribose on Heart Function During Stress Testing

Sample size: 26 publication 10 minutes Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Sawada Stephen G, Lewis Stephen, Kovacs Roxanne, Khouri Samer, Gradus-Pizlo Irmina, St Cyr John A, Feigenbaum Harvey

Primary Institution: Indiana University School of Medicine

Hypothesis

D-Ribose can improve the contractile response of the heart during dobutamine stress echocardiography in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy.

Conclusion

D-Ribose improved the contractile responses to dobutamine in patients with resting dysfunction but did not significantly reduce stress-induced ischemia.

Supporting Evidence

  • D-Ribose improved contractile responses in 41 out of 60 segments compared to placebo.
  • Overall agreement in wall motion response was 77% between D-Ribose and placebo.
  • Nineteen patients developed ischemia during placebo infusion compared to 13 during D-Ribose infusion.

Takeaway

This study tested a sugar called D-Ribose to see if it helps the heart work better during stress tests. It helped some parts of the heart but didn't stop problems caused by stress.

Methodology

A two-day, randomized, double-blind crossover trial comparing D-Ribose and placebo effects on regional wall motion during dobutamine stress echocardiography.

Potential Biases

Potential bias in patient selection and the subjective assessment of echocardiographic results.

Limitations

The study had a small sample size and was a pilot study, which may limit the generalizability of the findings.

Participant Demographics

Twenty-eight patients (25 men, 3 women) with a mean age of 56 years and ischemic cardiomyopathy.

Statistical Information

P-Value

0.006

Statistical Significance

p<0.05

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1186/1476-7120-7-5

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