Lack of relation of coronary sinus oxygen content to extent of coronary artery disease or left ventricular dysfunction

A recent study suggests that the prognosis of patients with congestive heart failure is related to the oxygen content of coronary sinus blood: the lower the oxygen content at rest, the worse the outlook.¹ Although it is hypothesized that the oxygen content of coronary sinus blood decreases as coronary artery disease worsens, no previous study has assessed the relation, if any, between the oxygen content of coronary sinus blood at rest and the extent of (1) atherosclerotic coronary artery disease, or (2) left ventricular systolic dysfunction. This study was performed for this purpose.