The Medical journal of Australia
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Med. J. Aust.
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True sensitivity of cardiac exercise testing. A combined clinical evaluation of multiple parameters.
Maximal exercise tests were performed in 308 patients with angiographically defined coronary disease, in 38 patients whose coronary vessels were not obstructed, and in 236 clinically normal volunteers. The sensitivity of parameters indicating ischaemia was evaluated singly and in combination in each group. The most sensitive individual parameters were work capacity restriction (65%), ST segment depression (56%) and test angina (55%). ⋯ In clinically normal subjects a 15% "false" positive rate occurred. One parameter (R wave amplitude change) was falsely positive in 24%, and was therefore excluded. Grouped parameter sensitivity for patients who exercised on a bicycle and those who used a treadmill was similar.