Angiographic correlates of the treadmill scores in non-high-risk patients with unstable angina.

BACKGROUND: There has been no clear consensus regarding the optimum definition of a high-risk exercise ECG test. The aim of this study is to compare the diagnostic accuracy of several treadmill scores [American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) High-Risk Criteria for exercise testing, Duke Treadmill Score, Veterans Affairs and West Virginia Prognostic Score, ST/Heart Rate Index] with the ST-segment depression analysis in the detection of significant and severe coronary disease as determined by coronary angiography. METHODS: The study included a cohort of 248 consecutive patients admitted to hospital for unstable angina. RESULTS: The sensitivities of the ACC/AHA High-Risk Criteria and the ST depression > or =1 mm were 89.02 and 76.83%, respectively, for the detection of significant coronary artery disease, and 96.15 and 86.54% for the detection of severe coronary artery disease. The specificities of the Duke Treadmill Score and the ST depression > or=1 mm were 96.43 and 73.81%, respectively, for the detection of significant coronary artery disease, and 81.63 and 47.45% for the detection of severe coronary artery disease. CONCLUSIONS: The ACC/AHA High-Risk Criteria and Duke Treadmill Score provided relevant diagnostic information not available from the ST segment analysis alone.

[Angiographic evaluation of high-risk treadmill scores in patients with unstable angina according to sex, age, or use of drugs with a negative chronotropic effect]. / Comparación angiográfica de los criterios e índices de alto riesgo para ergometría convencional en pacientes diagnosticados de angina inestable en función del sexo, la edad o el uso de fármacos bradicardizantes.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study is to determine whether age, sex, or the use of drugs with a negative chronotropic effect modifies the sensitivity, specificity, positive or negative predictive value, or positive or negative likelihood ratio of the high-risk criteria used in exercise testing as defined by the Spanish Society of Cardiology (SEC) and the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA), the Duke treadmill score, the Veterans Affairs and West Virginia prognostic score, or the ST/Heart Rate Index at the time when left main coronary artery disease, three-vessel disease or two-vessel disease involving the proximal left anterior descending artery is detected by coronary angiography. METHODS: The study included a cohort of 469 consecutive patients aged 75 years who were admitted to hospital for unstable angina. All patients underwent exercise stress testing and coronary angiography. RESULTS: In all situations, the ACC/AHA high-risk criteria had the highest sensitivity, negative predictive value, and negative likelihood ratio, and the Duke Treadmill Score had the highest specificity and positive predictive value. The diagnostic accuracy of the other treadmill scores was affected by sex, age or the use of drugs with a negative chronotropic effect. CONCLUSIONS: The ACC/AHA high-risk criteria and Duke Treadmill Score provided useful additional information during the assessment of ST-segment depression. These measures could help improve the diagnostic accuracy of conventional ECG exercise testing in women, older individuals, and patients taking beta-blockers or non-dihydropyridine calcium antagonists.