[Risk stratification after acute myocardial infarction: limitations of dobutamine stress echocardiography in females].
BACKGROUND
Dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE) is an imaging test widely used for risk stratification of patients after acute myocardial infarction.


METHODS
We evaluated the sensitivity of DSE with respect to the gender and the stenotic coronary artery in patients who survived a myocardial infarction and with angiographic evidence of single-vessel coronary artery disease.


RESULTS
The sensitivity of DSE was generally low. In particular, it was significantly lower in the presence of stenosis of the left circumflex and right coronary arteries with respect to the left anterior descending coronary artery. In females it was lower, especially when the stenosis involved the right coronary and left circumflex arteries.


CONCLUSIONS
Our data suggest that in female gender the use of other imaging tests and particularly of coronarography should be strongly recommended for risk stratification after acute myocardial infarction.
di Palma
Francesco
F
U.O. di Cardiologia-UTIC, Ospedale Civile, Regione Campania, ASL NA5, Torre Annunziata (NA).
Vitiello
Nicola
N
Cirillo
Raffaele
R
Granato
Luigi
L
Sestri
Carlo
C
Fontana
Dario
D
Pagano
Vincenzo
V
D'Errico
Luigi
L
Carotenuto
Francesco
F
Coppola
Vincenzo
V
D017023:Coronary Angiography; D023921:Coronary Stenosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000473:pathology; D004280:Dobutamine; D025401:Echocardiography, Stress / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D011379:Prognosis; D012008:Recurrence; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012727:Sex Characteristics
D004280:Dobutamine