Significance of indeterminate and abnormal stress electrocardiography despite normal imaging in patients with suspected coronary artery disease – An analysis of the PROMISE trial

• Published in: Journal of electrocardiology 2022-07, Vol.73, p.79-86
• Main Authors: Mansour, Munthir, Alqaisi, Omar, Malkawi, Abdallah, Alaiwah, Malek, Radaideh, Qais, Al'Aref, Subhi J., Fudim, Marat, Douglas, Pamela, Vallurupalli, Srikanth
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Cardiac functional stress testing; Coronary artery disease; Electrocardiogram stress test; Myocardial infarction
• ISSN: 0022-0736; 1532-8430
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jelectrocard.2022.05.011

Abnormal and indeterminate electrocardiographic (ECG) changes during cardiac stress imaging are not uncommon. While the prognostic importance of abnormal ECG despite normal imaging has been previously studied, prognosis of indeterminate stress ECG changes is uncertain. We studied the prognostic value of stress ECG changes in symptomatic patients without known CAD and normal stress imaging from the PROMISE trial. Patients with normal ECG (concordant), indeterminate ECG and abnormal ECG (discordant) were identified among those with negative exercise imaging stress test (EIST) and negative vasodilator nuclear stress test (PIST). Outcomes of interest were major adverse cardiovascular endpoint (MACE, including all-cause mortality, myocardial infarction, and unstable angina hospitalization) and likelihood of coronary revascularization. In EIST, indeterminate stress ECG [1.1% vs. 0.2% adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) 4.2, (95% CI 1.11–15.6), p = 0.034] and discordant ECG [7.2% vs. 0.2% adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) 27.6, (95% CI 9.6–79.8), p