Left ventricular systolic pressure-volume area correlates with oxygen consumption

In 13 excised, cross-circulated canine hearts, we studied the correlation between left ventricular oxygen consumption per beat (MVO2) and the magnitude of a specific pressure-volume (P-V) area circumscribed by the end-systolic and end-diastolic P-V relationship curves and the systolic segment of the P-V trajectory of a left ventricular contraction. The pressure and volume load of the ventricle were changed with a volume servo pump in order to alter the P-V area, and MVO2 was measured (after each change in the pressure and volume load). In the data collected from both isovolumic and ejecting contractions of each left ventricle contracting with a stable inotropic background, we found a linear correlation between MVO2 and the P-V area. The average correlation coefficient was 0.92 +/- 0.016 (SE). Linear regression analysis yielded the formula: MVO2 (ml/beat) = alpha[P-V area (mmHg.ml/beat)] + b, where alpha, the slope coefficient, was (1.53 +/- 0.14) x 10(-5) and b, which probably represents the basal O2 consumption, was 0.019 +/- 0.003 ml/beta. We propose that the P-V area as defined above may be a good index of ventricular oxygen consumption under a given inotropic background.