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.