Differentiating syndrome X from coronary artery disease by treadmill exercise test in patients with chest pain and exercise-induced myocardial ischemia

Nai Wei Hsu, Jaw Wen Chen, Shu Long Jen, Benjamin Ing Tiau Kuo, Wen Lieng Lee, Guang Yuan Mar, Shing Jong Lin, Shih Pu Wang, Mau Song Chang

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

4 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Even though the underlying mechanisms of myocardial ischemia may be different, it is difficult to differentiate syndrome X from coronary artery disease (CAD) by means of the treadmill exercise test in elderly patients with chest pain and exercise-induced myocardial ischemia. One hundred sex- and age-matched patients-42 with syndrome X and 58 with CAD-were studied. Another 10 subjects with atypical chest pain, negative treadmill exercise test, and normal-appearing coronary angiograms served as controls. We evaluated the difference in exercise performance between patients with syndrome X and CAD, and the treadmill exercise test was undertaken with modified Bruce protocol within 2 weeks before coronary angiography. Parameters including time to 1 mm ST segment depression (STD), exercise duration (ED), heart rate (HR), systolic blood pressure, rate-pressure product (RPP), and percentage of age-predicted maximum HR (% HR) at different stages of the test were measured and then compared among the three groups of patients. Compared with CAD patients, syndrome X patients had significantly higher HR, % HR, and RPP at the time of 1 mm STD and at peak exercise. The time to 1 mm STD and ED were longer in syndrome X than in CAD patients. However, ED was shorter and HR, % HR, and RPP at peak exercise were similar in syndrome X patients as compared with control subjects. The new criterion of combined ED (≤315 seconds) and RPP at peak exercise (≤24,000 beats x mmHg/min) was found to be highly specific (86%) and moderately sensitive (64%) in differentiating syndrome X from CAD patients. The positive likelihood ratio for this criterion was 4.57 and negative likelihood ratio was 0.42. In conclusion, syndrome X patients had better exercise performance than CAD patients, but less ED and similar workload when compared with control subjects. The new criterion proposed in this study may provide a quick and simple way to differentiate syndrome X from CAD in a group of aged and predominantly male patients with chest pain and positive treadmill exercise test.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)13-24
Number of pages12
JournalAngiology
Volume49
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jan 1998
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Differentiating syndrome X from coronary artery disease by treadmill exercise test in patients with chest pain and exercise-induced myocardial ischemia'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this