Predicting the severity of coronary lesions by the continuous recording method of exercise two-dimensional echocardiography.
We estimated the severity of coronary artery disease by the continuous-recording method of exercise two-dimensional echocardiography (Ex.2DE) in 56 patients with angiographically significant coronary artery stenosis ( > 50% diameter narrowing) who had undergone both Ex.2DE and coronary angiography. Patients were divided into two groups on the basis of findings of coronary angiography: group 1 had 50% to 89% stenosis (n = 24) and group 2 had 90% or greater stenosis (n = 32). The sensitivity and specificity of Ex.2DE for the detection of ischemic segments were 82% and 88%, respectively in the overall patient population. The sensitivity was 67% in group 1 and 94% in group 2. Hyperkinesis occurred at the beginning of exercise in 21 (88%) of 24 patients in group 1 and 15 (47%) of 32 patients in group 2 (p < 0.05). Our findings demonstrated that patients who did not show hyperkinesis at the beginning of exercise had more severe coronary artery disease. Careful observation of serial wall motion during exercise by the continuous-recording method may provide important information about myocardial ischemia.
Mitsuhashi
T
T
Department of Cardiology, Jichi Medical School, Tochigi-Ken, Japan.
Shiina
A
A
Kuroda
T
T
Yamasawa
M
M
Fujita
T
T
Suzuki
O
O
Seino
Y
Y
Nishinaga
M
M
Shimada
K
K
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001794:Blood Pressure; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D003626:Data Display; D004452:Echocardiography; D005080:Exercise Test; D017079:Exercise Tolerance; D005260:Female; D005544:Forecasting; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009200:Myocardial Contraction; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted; D018754:Ventricular Dysfunction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging