[Recovery time from myocardial ischemia induced by exercise test: correlation with duration of ischemia during the test and with the extent of coronary disease].
BACKGROUND
Aim of this study was to evaluate the factors affecting the duration of the recovery time (RT) after a positive exercise stress test and to define its relationship with the extent of coronary artery disease (CAD).


METHODS
We studied 109 consecutive patients with a positive exercise test and proven coronary disease.


RESULTS
RT was neither related to the severity of CAD, nor to exercise duration, rate-pressure product at the end of the exercise and maximum ST segment depression. A significant linear relationship was found between RT and the time of ischemia during exercise (IT) (r = 0.66, p < .001). This relationship was analyzed separately in patients (pts) with advanced (Group I) and in pts with less severe CAD (Group II). The regression line of the data showed a similar slope but a higher y-axis intercept in Group I than in Group II (p < .05). The RT/IT ratio was in fact significantly higher in Group I than in Group II (3.0 +/- 1.3 vs 1.7 +/- 0.7, p < .0001). Discriminant analysis was performed to predict the presence of advanced CAD: using the RT/IT ratio instead of RT correct classification rate of the model increased from 81.4 to 86.7%, predictive accuracy from 73.7 to 85.3% and true negative rate from 85.3 to 87.4%.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that the normalization of the recovery time by time of ischemia during the test provides a simple and useful index for the prediction of the extent of coronary artery disease.
Ghio
S
S
Divisione di Cardiologia, IRCCS Policlinico S. Matteo, Pavia.
Eleuteri
E
E
de Servi
S
S
Falcone
C
C
Auguadro
C
C
Quaglini
S
S
Berzuini
C
C
Specchia
G
G
Montemartini
C
C
D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D013997:Time Factors
Tempo di recupero dall'ischemia miocardica indotta mediante test da sforzo: correlazione con la durata dell'ischemia durante il test e con l'estensione della malattia coronarica.