Diagnosing hemodynamically important coronary atherosclerosis in stable angina patients: the role of stress test dynamics of QT duration and dispersion

Abstract

Aim. To study a potential link between increased QT dispersion (dQT) during physical stress test (PST) and coronary artery (CA) atherosclerosis in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD).Material and methods. In total, 116 CHD patients with Functional Class II-III angina were examined (mean age 49,9+9,1 years). All participants underwent treadmill PST (Bruce protocol) and coronary angiography. Mean, minimal and maximal QT duration, as well as ∆QT, were measured. Heart rate-corrected ∆QT (QTc) was calculated using Bazett HC formula.Results. In patients with dQTc increase (A∆QTc) >20mc1/2 or with ∆QTc >60mc1/2, atherosclerosis of left CA trunk or proximal segment of anterior descending CA was observed twice as often as in the other participants.

Keywords

• qt interval
• dispersion
• stress test
• angina
• coronary artery atherosclerosis