Reliability of the exercise-induced ST-segment changes to detect restenosis three months after coronary angioplasty: Significance of the appearance in other leads

• Published in: The American heart journal 1998-03, Vol.135 (3), p.449-456
• Main Authors: Michaelides, Andreas P., Dilaveris, Polychronis E., Psomadaki, Zoi D., Aggelakas, Stefanos, Stefanadis, Christodoulos, Cokkinos, Dennis, Gialafos, John, Toutouzas, Pavlos K.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary; Biological and medical sciences; Coronary Disease - diagnosis; Coronary Disease - therapy; Diseases of the cardiovascular system; Electrocardiography; Exercise Test; False Positive Reactions; Female; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Radiotherapy. Instrumental treatment. Physiotherapy. Reeducation. Rehabilitation, orthophony, crenotherapy. Diet therapy and various other treatments (general aspects); Recurrence; Reproducibility of Results
• ISSN: 0002-8703; 1097-6744
• DOI: 10.1016/S0002-8703(98)70321-7

Background Exercise-induced ST-segment changes 3 months after angioplasty may sometimes show a false-positive result. Methods We therefore analyzed the ST changes observed during the exercise tests performed before and 3 months after angioplasty in 118 patients with single-vessel coronary artery disease. Results Ninety-two (78%) of the 118 patients had ST changes in the same lead before and after angioplasty, whereas the remaining 26 (22%) patients had ST changes in other leads in the postangioplasty test when compared with the preangioplasty exercise test. Restenosis was found in 44 (48%) of the 92 patients with ST changes in the same lead but in only four (15%) of the 26 patients with ST changes in other leads. Conclusions Exercise-induced ST-segment changes are not reliable markers of restenosis 3 months after angioplasty. ST-segment changes observed in other leads after angioplasty compared with the preangioplasty exercise test may show a false-positive result. (Am Heart J 1998;135:449-56.)