Insensitivity of the cold pressor stimulation test for the diagnosis of coronary artery disease

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Date

1-1-1983

Journal

Circulation

Volume

67

Issue

6 I

DOI

10.1161/01.CIR.67.6.1189

Abstract

Cold pressor stimulation (CPS) was compared with supine bicycle exercise during radionuclide ventriculography as a procedure for diagnosing coronary artery disease (CAD). Thirty patients were studied. In the 18 patients with angiographically proved CAD, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) decreased a mean of 5.0 ± 1.0 ejecion fraction units (± SEM) in response to CP. Only two patients developed a new wall motion abnormality. In response to maximal supine exercise, the CAD group showed a mean decrease in LVEF from rest of 1.9 ± 1.1%. Nine patients developed an exercise-induced wall motion abnormality. In the 12 patients with angiographically proved normal coronary arteries, LVEF decreased a mean of 5.8 ± 1.3 units in response to CPS and increased a mean of 9.2 ± 1.2% in response to exercise. Thus, the LVEF response to CPS was not significantly different in the CAD and normal groups (5.0 ± 1.0 vs 5.8 ± 1.3, NS). These same patients demonstrated the expected differences in LVEF response to exercise. We conclude that CPS produces similar changes in LVEF in patients with and without CAD, and therefore is not useful in diagnosing ischemic heart disease.

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