TY - JOUR
TI - QRS score improves diagnostic ability of treadmill exercise testing in
women
AU - Michaelides, Andreas P.
AU - Fourlas, Christos A.
AU - Chatzistamatiou,
AU - Evangelos I.
AU - Andrikopoulos, George K.
AU - Soulis, Dimitrios and
AU - Psomadaki, Zoi D.
AU - Stefanadis, Christodoulos I.
JO - Coronary Artery Disease
PY - 2007
VL - 18
TODO - 4
SP - 313-318
PB - Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins
SN - 0954-6928, 1473-5830
TODO - 10.1097/MCA.0b013e3281689a69
TODO - coronary artery disease; QRS score; ST-segment depression; treadmill
exercise testing; women
TODO - Objective The accuracy of treadmill exercise testing to detect coronary
artery disease is limited in women. This study was undertaken to
evaluate whether QRS score can improve the accuracy of treadmill
exercise testing in women.
Methods The study population consisted of 114 women with angina-like
symptoms, who underwent both treadmill exercise testing and coronary
angiography. The impact of QRS score on the standard ST-segment based
diagnostic ability of treadmill exercise testing to detect coronary
artery disease was studied.
Results Incorporation of QRS score in standard ST-segment diagnostic
criteria significantly enhanced sensitivity (from 59 to 80%),
specificity (from 40 to 94%) and diagnostic accuracy (from 50 to 87%)
of treadmill exercise testing. The QRS score was shown to reduce
significantly the false-positive results from 60 to 6%. Furthermore,
QRS score accuracy was correlated with the extent of coronary artery
disease. The diagnostic ability of QRS score was greater both among
patients with normal and impaired systolic function of the left
ventricle.
Conclusions QRS score can improve the limited diagnostic accuracy of
treadmill exercise testing in women, by predominantly decreasing the
high prevalence of false-positive results.
ER -