RELIABILITY OF THE EXERCISE-INDUCED ST-SEGMENT CHANGES TO DETECT RESTENOSIS 3 MONTHS AFTER CORONARY ANGIOPLASTY - SIGNIFICANCE OF THE APPEARANCE IN OTHER LEADS

Background Exercise-induced ST-segment changes 3 months after angiopla sty may sometimes show a false-positive result. Methods We therefore a nalyzed the ST changes observed during the exercise tests performed be fore and 3 months after angioplasty in 118 patients with single-vessel coronary artery disease. Results Ninety-two (78%) of the 118 patients had ST changes in the same lead before and after angioplasty, whereas the remaining 26 (22%) patients had ST changes in other leads in the postangioplasty test when compared with the preangioplasty exercise te st. Restenosis was found in 44 (48%) of the 92 patients with ST change s in the same lead but in only four (15%) of the 26 patients with ST c hanges in other leads. Conclusions Exercise-induced ST-segment changes are not reliable markers of restenosis 3 months after angioplasty. ST -segment changes observed in other leads after angioplasty compared wi th the preangioplasty exercise test may show a false-positive result.