title: [A new risk score for patients with a normal or non-diagnostic ECG admitted to a chest pain unit].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Patients admitted to chest pain units are usually classified on the basis of the results of non-invasive tests. However, the large number of potential patients places a strain on limited resources. Our aim was to identify clinical variables that may help determining the risk of coronary artery disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied 365 consecutive patients admitted to the chest pain unit at our institution, all of whom had an ECG that did not show significant changes in repolarization.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The patients' mean age was 62.3 years. Independent predictors of coronary artery disease were: typical chest pain, aspirin use, diabetes, and age >64 years. A risk score obtained by combining these 4 factors was related to the occurrence of a clinical event during the patient's stay in the chest pain unit, to coronary artery disease prevalence (which varied from 3.9% in those with a score of 0 to 66.7% in those with a score of 4), to all-cause mortality, and to the development of acute coronary syndrome during the 6-month follow-up period.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The presence of typical chest pain, aspirin use, diabetes, and an age >64 years is associated with an increased probability of coronary artery disease in patients admitted to chest pain units. A risk score obtained by combining these four factors may be clinically useful and help optimizing resource management.
authors: Servicio de Cardiología, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain.
authors: Manuel
authors: M
authors: Martínez-Sellés
authors: Javier
authors: J
authors: Ortiz
authors: Alvaro
authors: A
authors: Estévez
authors: Juan
authors: J
authors: Andueza
authors: José
authors: J
authors: de Miguel
authors: Héctor
authors: H
authors: Bueno
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001241:Aspirin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002637:Chest Pain / Q000175:diagnosis; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D048909:Diabetes Complications; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006757:Hospital Units; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors; D001241:Aspirin