Quantitative analysis of the exercise tolerance test for determining the severity of coronary artery disease.
Results were compiled from the literature on the use of the exercise tolerance test to identify patients with severe coronary artery disease. Pooled estimates of sensitivity and specificity were derived for the ability of the exercise tolerance test to identify three-vessel or left main coronary artery disease. There was great variability among the studies examined in the estimated sensitivity and specificity of a given criterion for severe coronary artery disease. This variability could not be explained by reported variations in study design. The findings suggest that the accuracy of the exercise tolerance test and other tests cannot be properly interpreted without much greater detail presented in the literature on patient selection and test administration.
Department of Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee 53226.
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A
Hartz
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C
Gammaitoni
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M
Young
D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005080:Exercise Test; D006801:Humans; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011336:Probability