Correlation of right and left ventricular ejection fraction and volume measurements.

First-pass radiocardiography and biplane angiocardiography were performed on 13 patients with left-sided regurgitant valvular disease (R+) and 7 patients without regurgitation but with coronary artery disease and/or cardiomyopathy (R-). Right and left ventricular volumes and ejection fractions were calculated and compared. In the R- group, corresponding right and left ventricular volumes and ejection fractions correlated highly with each other (r = 0.86-0.89, p approximately equal to 0.01). Ejection fractions in the R+ group correlated (r = 0.64, p less than 0.05) only because stroke volume correlation was very high (r = 0.93), with end-diastolic and end-systolic volumes showing no significant correlation. Right ventricular ejection fraction (RVEF) decreased significantly with increasing mean pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) in both R- and R+ groups. The correlation of RVEF and LVEF in the R- group appears to be multifactorial in origin, consisting of effects of increased PAP, the mechanical interference of an enlarged left ventricle on the right ventricle, and direct biventricular ischemic effects. In the R+ group, the correlation appears to be due to only increased PAP and its sequelae.