title: [Diagnostic value of chronotropic incompetence in coronary heart disease].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the diagnostic value of chronotropic incompetence (CI) in coronary heart disease (CHD).
  
  
  METHODS
  Two hundred thirty three patients who underwent the electrocardiogram treadmill exercise test (TET) and coronary angiography (CAG) were included in this study. CAG was used as the standard of diagnosing CHD. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of CI were compared with the traditional index of TET.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no significant difference between the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of CI (81.7%, 64.3%, and 71.2% respectively) and those of the traditional index (73.1%, 69.3%, and 70.8% respectively, P> 0.05), while the specificity (87.9%) and accuracy (79.4%) were significantly higher after combining CI and the traditional index than that of the traditional index alone (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the sensitivity (P> 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CI was a usefull index in diagnosing CHD. CI combined with the traditional index of TET can significantly improve the specificity and accuracy of TET for CHD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China. luolin5168@yahoo.com.cn
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Shui-Ping
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: Hui-Jun
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Ye
authors.forename: Qiao-Hua
authors.initials: QH
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity