DETECTION OF RESTENOSIS FOLLOWING PERCUTANEOUS CORONARY ANGIOPLASTY IN SINGLE-VESSEL CORONARY-ARTERY DISEASE - THE VALUE OF CLINICAL-ASSESSMENT AND EXERCISE TOLERANCE TESTING

Chest pain and submaximal exercise testing were prospectively assessed over a 6-month period, for detecting the evolution of restenosis in p atients undergoing percutaneous coronary angioplasty, following either acute myocardial infarction or treatment of an anginal syndrome. Seve nty-eight patients with one-vessel coronary artery disease under;vent a modified treadmill exercise test at the 1-week, 3-month and 6-month follow-up after angioplasty, when a final angiogram was also performed . Forty-four patients (group A) were examined after myocardial infarct ion; in 34 patients (group B) angioplasty was done for incapacitating angina. Both groups showed similar results with low sensitivity and re latively moderate specificity of both chest pain and exercise tests; t his was also the case for the time of restenosis to occur. It is thus concluded that the parameters examined are somewhat limited markers of restenosis following coronary angioplasty.