title: Limited value of recovery phase-limited ST segment depression of treadmill exercise test.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Clinical meaning of recovery phase limited ST segment depression of a treadmill exercise test is controversial. The aim of this study was to re-assess the diagnostic and prognostic value of ST segment depression during the recovery phase with the active phase of a treadmill exercise test in suspected coronary artery disease patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Clinical, exercise and angiographic data were retrospectively collected from 602 patients in the study. Five hundred and seventy-six patients developed ST segment depression during the active phase of the treadmill exercise test (group 1) and 26 patients developed ST segment depression only during the recovery phase (group 2).
  
  
  RESULTS
  With similar major clinical features, the prevalence of significant coronary artery stenosis and average Gensini scores were lower in the recovery phase-limited depression patients (group 2 vs. group 1, 50.0% vs. 66.9%, P = 0.031 and group 2 vs. group 1, 1.5 vs. 8.5, P = 0.04). At a median follow up of 50.9 months for 22 group 2 and 34.8 months for 438 group 1 patients, the prevalence of total cardiac events was higher in group 1 than in group 2 patients (RR 1.60, 95% CI 1.00-2.54, P = 0.049).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study provides preliminary evidence that the diagnostic and prognostic value of recovery phaselimited ST segment depression of treadmill exercise test is limited.
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.
authors.forename: Hongbo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.
authors.forename: Zheyong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lou
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.
authors.forename: Yunli
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China. Email: qian.juying@zs-hospital.sh.cn.
authors.forename: Juying
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Qian
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.
authors.forename: Junbo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ge
mesh_terms: D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000175:diagnosis*; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies