Patient management after noninvasive cardiac imaging results from SPARC (Study of myocardial perfusion and coronary anatomy imaging roles in coronary artery disease).
Patient management after noninvasive cardiac imaging results from SPARC (Study of myocardial perfusion and coronary anatomy imaging roles in coronary artery disease).
- 2012
Available online from MWHC library: 1995 - present, Available in print through MWHC library:1999-2007
BACKGROUND: Noninvasive cardiac imaging is widely used in coronary artery disease, but its effects on subsequent patient management are unclear. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, noninvasive testing had only a modest impact on clinical management of patients referred for clinical testing. Although post-imaging use of cardiac catheterization and medical therapy increased in proportion to the degree of abnormality findings, the frequency of catheterization and medication change suggests possible undertreatment of higher risk patients. Patients were more likely to undergo cardiac catheterization after computed tomography angiography than after single-photon emission computed tomography or positron emission tomography after normal/nonobstructive and mildly abnormal study findings. (Study of Perfusion and Anatomy's Role in Coronary Artery [CAD] [SPARC]; NCT00321399). Copyright 2012 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. METHODS: We assessed the 90-day post-test rates of catheterization and medication changes in a prospective registry of 1,703 patients without a documented history of coronary artery disease and an intermediate to high likelihood of coronary artery disease undergoing cardiac single-photon emission computed tomography, positron emission tomography, or 64-slice coronary computed tomography angiography. OBJECTIVES: This study examined short-term cardiac catheterization rates and medication changes after cardiac imaging. RESULTS: Baseline medication use was relatively infrequent. At 90 days, 9.6% of patients underwent catheterization. The rates of catheterization and medication changes increased in proportion to test abnormality findings. Among patients with the most severe test result findings, 38% to 61% were not referred to catheterization, 20% to 30% were not receiving aspirin, 35% to 44% were not receiving a beta-blocker, and 20% to 25% were not receiving a lipid-lowering agent at 90 days after the index test. Risk-adjusted analyses revealed that compared with stress single-photon emission computed tomography or positron emission tomography, changes in aspirin and lipid-lowering agent use was greater after computed tomography angiography, as was the 90-day catheterization referral rate in the setting of normal/nonobstructive and mildly abnormal test results.
English
0735-1097
*Cardiac Catheterization/mt [Methods]
*Cardiovascular Agents/tu [Therapeutic Use]
*Coronary Artery Disease/di [Diagnosis]
*Myocardial Perfusion Imaging/mt [Methods]
Aged
Coronary Angiography/mt [Methods]
Coronary Artery Disease/th [Therapy]
Diagnosis, Differential
Female
Follow-Up Studies
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Positron-Emission Tomography/mt [Methods]
Prognosis
Prospective Studies
Severity of Illness Index
Time Factors
Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon/mt [Methods]
Tomography, X-Ray Computed/mt [Methods]
MedStar Heart & Vascular Institute
Comparative Study
Journal Article
Available online from MWHC library: 1995 - present, Available in print through MWHC library:1999-2007
BACKGROUND: Noninvasive cardiac imaging is widely used in coronary artery disease, but its effects on subsequent patient management are unclear. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, noninvasive testing had only a modest impact on clinical management of patients referred for clinical testing. Although post-imaging use of cardiac catheterization and medical therapy increased in proportion to the degree of abnormality findings, the frequency of catheterization and medication change suggests possible undertreatment of higher risk patients. Patients were more likely to undergo cardiac catheterization after computed tomography angiography than after single-photon emission computed tomography or positron emission tomography after normal/nonobstructive and mildly abnormal study findings. (Study of Perfusion and Anatomy's Role in Coronary Artery [CAD] [SPARC]; NCT00321399). Copyright 2012 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. METHODS: We assessed the 90-day post-test rates of catheterization and medication changes in a prospective registry of 1,703 patients without a documented history of coronary artery disease and an intermediate to high likelihood of coronary artery disease undergoing cardiac single-photon emission computed tomography, positron emission tomography, or 64-slice coronary computed tomography angiography. OBJECTIVES: This study examined short-term cardiac catheterization rates and medication changes after cardiac imaging. RESULTS: Baseline medication use was relatively infrequent. At 90 days, 9.6% of patients underwent catheterization. The rates of catheterization and medication changes increased in proportion to test abnormality findings. Among patients with the most severe test result findings, 38% to 61% were not referred to catheterization, 20% to 30% were not receiving aspirin, 35% to 44% were not receiving a beta-blocker, and 20% to 25% were not receiving a lipid-lowering agent at 90 days after the index test. Risk-adjusted analyses revealed that compared with stress single-photon emission computed tomography or positron emission tomography, changes in aspirin and lipid-lowering agent use was greater after computed tomography angiography, as was the 90-day catheterization referral rate in the setting of normal/nonobstructive and mildly abnormal test results.
English
0735-1097
*Cardiac Catheterization/mt [Methods]
*Cardiovascular Agents/tu [Therapeutic Use]
*Coronary Artery Disease/di [Diagnosis]
*Myocardial Perfusion Imaging/mt [Methods]
Aged
Coronary Angiography/mt [Methods]
Coronary Artery Disease/th [Therapy]
Diagnosis, Differential
Female
Follow-Up Studies
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Positron-Emission Tomography/mt [Methods]
Prognosis
Prospective Studies
Severity of Illness Index
Time Factors
Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon/mt [Methods]
Tomography, X-Ray Computed/mt [Methods]
MedStar Heart & Vascular Institute
Comparative Study
Journal Article