title: Gender differences in the relation between ST-T-wave abnormalities at baseline electrocardiogram and stress myocardial perfusion abnormalities in patients with suspected coronary artery disease.
abstract: The presence of ST-T-wave abnormalities in the resting electrocardiogram was reported as a predictor of coronary artery disease (CAD) and increased morbidity and mortality. However, the independent value of ST-T abnormalities for predicting the presence and severity of perfusion abnormalities during stress testing has not been studied in a homogenous patient group without known CAD. We evaluated the relation between resting ST-T abnormalities and myocardial perfusion abnormalities in 246 patients (age 59 +/- 13 years, 114 men and 132 women) without known CAD or previous myocardial infarction referred for evaluation of possible myocardial ischemia by dobutamine (up to 40 microg/kg/min) stress sestamibi or tetrofosmin single-photon emission computed tomographic imaging. Resting ST-T abnormalities were present in 123 patients, whereas 123 patients with normal resting electrocardiograms served as a matched control group. Abnormal myocardial perfusion (fixed or reversible perfusion defects) was detected in 72% of men with and in 35% of men without resting ST-T abnormalities (p <0.0001), whereas the prevalence of myocardial perfusion abnormalities was not different in women with and without resting ST-T abnormalities (27% vs 23%, p = NS). In the entire population, independent predictors of an abnormal perfusion by multivariate analysis of clinical characteristics and risk factors were male gender (p <0.001, chi-square 10.5) and resting ST-T abnormalities (p <0.05, chi-square 3). Separate analysis of patients based on gender revealed resting ST-T abnormalities as independent predictors of abnormal perfusion in men (p <0.05, chi-square 4) but not in women. Stress perfusion defect score was higher in men with than without ST-T abnormalities (887 +/- 545 vs 207 +/- 180, p <0.001). It is concluded that resting ST-T wave abnormalities are associated with a higher prevalence and severity of resting and dobutamine-induced myocardial perfusion abnormalities in men but not in women. Resting ST-T wave abnormalities are powerful predictors of compromised myocardial perfusion independent of other clinical risk factors of CAD in men.
authors.affiliation: Thoraxcenter, University Hospital Rotterdam-Dijkzigt, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Elhendy
authors.forename: R T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: van Domburg
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Bax
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Roelandt
mesh_terms: D002316:Cardiotonic Agents; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D004280:Dobutamine; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon
chemical_list: D002316:Cardiotonic Agents; D004280:Dobutamine