A meta-analysis and systematic review of computed tomography angiography as a diagnostic triage tool for patients with chest pain presenting to the emergency department.
BACKGROUND
To assess clinical utility of computed tomography angiography (CTA) in the diagnosis of chest pain patients presenting to emergency departments (EDs), we conducted a meta-analysis of CTA in patients with suspected acute coronary syndromes (ACSs).


METHODS
386 studies were identified on initial review of literature. Inclusion criteria were: (1) prospective study with ≥1 month follow-up, (2) use of CTA in the ED setting, (3) use of ACC/AHA definitions for ACS and robust assessment of major adverse cardiac events, (4) ≥30 patients, and (5) study population with initial non-diagnostic ECGs and negative biomarkers.


RESULTS
Nine studies (N = 1349) formed the data set. The pooled patient population was 52 ± 2 years of age, 51% male, with low to intermediate pretest probability for ACS. Risk factors included 12% diabetes, 42% hypertension, 35% smokers, 29% had hyperlipidemia, and 7% known CAD. ACS was subsequently diagnosed in 10% of patients. The bivariate summary estimate of sensitivity of CTA for ACS diagnosis was 95% (95% CI 88-100) and specificity was 87% (95% CI 83-92), yielding a negative likelihood ratio of 0.06 (95% CI 0-0.14) and positive likelihood ratio of 7.4 (95% CI 4.8-10). The 30-day event rate included no deaths and no additional MIs.


CONCLUSIONS
Coronary CTA demonstrates a high sensitivity and a low negative likelihood ratio of 0.06, and is effective in ruling out the presence of ACS in low to intermediate risk patients presenting to the ED with acute chest pain.
Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Duke University Medical Center (DUMC), Durham, NC 27710, USA. zainab.samad@duke.edu
Zainab
Z
Samad
Abdul
A
Hakeem
Syed Shad
SS
Mahmood
Karen
K
Pieper
Manesh R
MR
Patel
David L
DL
Simel
Pamela S
PS
Douglas
D054058:Acute Coronary Syndrome / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000208:Acute Disease; D002637:Chest Pain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D017023:Coronary Angiography / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D015995:Prevalence; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods; D012307:Risk Factors; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014218:Triage / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*