The study included 28 control subjects and 7 patients with CH without cardiac disease. MPI was defined as the sum of isovolumetric contraction time (ICT) and isovolumetric relaxation time divided by ejection time. Patients were submitted to hormonal therapy with thyroxin and the study was repeated after 35 to 42 days.
MPI was significantly higher in patients with CH (0.54 ¡À 0.08) than in control subjects (0.40 ¡À 0.05) (P = .002). The increase in MPI was caused by the prolongation of ICT without a significant variation of isovolumetric relaxation time and ejection time. After hormonal therapy there was a significant reduction of MPI (0.54 ¡À 0.08 vs 0.42 ¡À 0.07; P = .028) and ICT.
MPI was increased in patients with untreated CH. The increase was related to prolongation of ICT and reverted by hormonal therapy.